Psychologists have found lockdown in itself was a primary reason why so many people were willing to abide by the rules from the start, believing the threat must be severe if the government imposes such drastic measures. Cardiff University says its researchers, and colleagues from the universities of Bath and Essex, examined the reasons behind … Continue reading The UK public is likely to take the Covid-19 pandemic less seriously once restrictions are lifted

Patients with a wide range of cancers who take aspirin as part of their treatment could help to reduce their risk of death by 20%, according to a major review of existing research. Cardiff University says its researchers carried out a systematic review of a hundred and eighteen published observational studies in patients with eighteen … Continue reading Study finds aspirin could cut the risk of death in cancer patients

Covid-19 infection in pregnancy is not associated with stillbirth or early neonatal death, according to a new study. However, Cardiff University says the research, from more than four thousand pregnant women with suspected or confirmed Covid-19, also found women who had a positive test had a higher risk of premature birth. The research, led by … Continue reading Study finds Covid-19 in pregnancy is not linked with stillbirth or baby death

A brain pressure disorder that especially affects women, causing severe headaches and sometimes permanent sight loss, has risen sixfold in fifteen years, and is linked to obesity and deprivation, according to a new study by Swansea University researchers. Rates of emergency hospital admissions in Wales for people with the disorder were also five times higher … Continue reading Sixfold rise in a brain pressure disorder linked with obesity and deprivation

The ability of some cobras to spit their venom, unique amongst snakes, evolved as a defence mechanism to inflict pain rather than to catch prey, according to new research. The research was led by the Centre for Snakebite Research at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), and Swansea University says it also involved Dr … Continue reading Spitting cobras evolved painful venom for defence, possibly from early humans

Researchers from Swansea University have been commissioned by the Senedd to explore people’s experiences of being contacted by Test, Trace, Protect (TTP) and told to self-isolate. The project aims to explore some of the main challenges and barriers that people encounter, as well as some of the supports that help people cope with and comply … Continue reading Call for study participants who have been contacted by Test, Trace and Protect in Wales

Supercomputing facilities set up to track the spread and evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic have received £1.2m in government funding to expand globally. Cardiff University says the new funding will enable the CLIMB COVID-19 project, which it leads with the University of Birmingham, to carry out significant upgrades to computational equipment to process and store … Continue reading Covid-19 genome sequencing project gets a major upgrade

Researchers at Swansea University are developing the world’s first smart vaccine device that will deliver the Covid-19 vaccine and measure its efficacy through monitoring the body’s associated response. Swansea University says the research, from its Institute for Innovative Materials, Processing and Numerical Technologies (IMPACT), will produce the vaccine through the use of microneedles (MNs) to … Continue reading Swansea University develops “world’s first” Covid-19 vaccine smart patch

A study has concluded that people with certain genetic conditions are likely to have significant symptoms of autism, even if they do not meet all diagnostic criteria. Cardiff University says their findings show clinical services need to adapt so that people diagnosed with autism-linked genetic conditions are not denied access to vital support and interventions. … Continue reading Clinical criteria for diagnosing autism is inadequate for people with genetic conditions

Researchers are developing a genetic test to identify people with severe short sightedness (high myopia) who are most at risk of permanent damage to their eyesight and would therefore benefit from more frequent monitoring. The test may also help to identify children who are most at risk of developing severe short sightedness. Researchers at Cardiff … Continue reading Researchers to develop a test for children most at risk of severe short sightedness