That precious bit of data, freely available to any researcher who wanted to study it, unleashed a massive collaborative effort to understand the mysterious new pathogen that has been rapidly spreading in China and beyond.

The genome was posted on a Friday night on an open-access repository for genetic information. By Saturday morning, Andrew Mesecar, a professor in cancer structural biology at Purdue University, had redirected his laboratory to start analyzing the DNA sequence, which bore a striking resemblance to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the 2002 viral outbreak that sickened more than 8,000 people and killed nearly 800. Scientists at the federal Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana asked a company to turn the information from a string of letters on a computer screen into actual DNA they could study in lab dishes.

At unprecedented speed, scientists are starting experiments, sharing data and revealing the secrets of the pathogen – a race that is made possible by new scientific tools and cultural norms in the face of a public health emergency.

“The pace is unmatched,” said Karla Satchell, a professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “This is really new. Lots of people [in science] still try to hide what they’re doing, don’t want to talk about what they’re doing, and everybody out there is like: This is the case where we don’t worry about egos, we don’t worry about who’s first, we just care about solving the problem. The information flow has been really fast.”

Purdue University scientists are preparing to scale up production of experimental drugs that they were initially developing to fight SARS, to see if they show promise against the new coronavirus. Twelve days after the genome was posted, National Institutes of Health scientists published their first analysis, showing that the coronavirus used the same door to get into human cells as SARS. About 12 hours later, a Chinese team of scientists who had isolated the virus from patients showed, using the actual virus, that the team was correct.

Meanwhile, a team at Northwestern recently ordered about a dozen pieces of the viral genome to be synthesized by a company to enable research that will help lead to drugs, vaccines and ways to rapidly diagnose the virus.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview that with the viral genome, researchers have started on developing a vaccine. He is “reasonably confident” that a safety study could begin testing it in people within three months.

“The fact that it’s about three months is really, I think, remarkable, because that would be the fastest that we have ever gotten from the time we got the sequence to the time into a human,” Fauci said. “If we can do that, it would be the fastest on the record.”

He cautioned that doesn’t mean a vaccine would be widely available in three months; larger studies would be required to determine both the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine. But it is still science at light speed; during the SARS outbreak, it took 20 months from getting the virus to genome to the first tests of a vaccine in people.

When SARS began to spread, the tools scientists needed were much less mature, including the basic infrastructure for sharing results rapidly so that anyone could build on them. It wasn’t until 2013 that Biorxiv, a preprint server to share scientific papers, was created so that scientists would have an easy way to widely share results before they had gone through the process of being vetted and accepted by scientific journals – a process that can take many months.

“This is one of the first times we’re getting to see an outbreak of a new virus and have the scientific community sharing their data almost in real time, rather than have to go through classic route of going through the journals,” said Michael Letko, a postdoctoral fellow at NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories.

Andrew Mesecar, a professor in cancer structural biology at Purdue University, said that the difference in the speed of science would have been almost unthinkable when researchers were working on SARS.

“Imagine walking from Chicago to San Francisco, and then imagine taking a plane from Chicago to San Francisco. That’s kind of the difference,” Mesecar said.

His hope is that as the secrets of how the virus works are revealed, it will help calm the spreading panic. He noted that influenza sickens and kills large numbers of people in the United States and globally each year, but doesn’t trigger a worldwide panic because the risks are understood and a vaccine exists.

“When you don’t understand something, you panic. You have fear. When you gain an understanding, you don’t fear something as much – you know how it’s going to operate,” Mesecar said. “By sharing that information faster … both research as well as what’s happening on the ground with individuals, I’m hoping that panic and that fear are going to go down.”

Located in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit district, this low-rise retreat is surrounded by 1.2 acres of private lush tropical gardens, giving it a soothing and secluded ambience.

Throughout February, guests will have the opportunity to stroll together through the “Garden of Love” and sign their names on a heart-shaped sign that the hotel’s carpenters have carved especially for this enchanting occasion.

Once signed, the couple can hang their personal heart on a dedicated “Love Tree”, which has been picked for its exquisite location. Guests can then capture this magical moment with a stunning Instagram shot, set against the backdrop of the resort’s outdoor swimming pool, landscaped gardens and gently rippling cascade. Hotel staff will be on hand to take the photos.

This romantic ritual will be complemented by a series of seductive culinary promotions at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort’s restaurants and bars.

Tamarind, the health-focused all-day dining restaurant, has created a “Lovers’ Seafood Buffet” on Valentine’s Day, featuring indulgent oysters, Alaskan king crab, razor clams, mussels, rock lobster, snails, shrimp and more.

For dessert, sweet moments can be enjoyed with “Chocolate Indulgence”, a sublime selection of homemade chocolate pralines, delectable chocolate desserts and a spectacular chocolate fountain. This blissful buffet is priced at Bt1,500++ per person.

Guests seeking a special Valentine’s Day dinner can order the chef’s signature “Surf n’ Turf”, which includes US grade beef tenderloin, Canadian lobster tails and bisque jus, or “Surf n’ Surf” – Alaskan crab ravioli with pan-grilled scallop and truffle cream.

Every couple dining on the evening of February 14 will be treated to a complimentary heart-shaped raspberry mille-feuille with strawberry sorbet.

Couples who select the tantalising Tasting Menus at Khum Hom, the newly opened Thai restaurant in collaboration with chef Ian Kittichai, will be treated to a complimentary rose cocktail and an edible surprise.

Four-course and five-course menu options are available, priced at Bt1,990++ and Bt2,200++ per person respectively.

Alternatively, Cinnamon Lobby Lounge and Sala Pool Bar are inviting diners to savour a luxurious Chateaubriand Rossini. Priced at Bt1,990++, this platter of Chateaubriand steak, pan-grilled foie-gras, asparagus and port wine reduction is aimed as a treat for lovers to share at any time of day.

Finally Rim Klong Café, the canalside bakery and coffee shop, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with “Pink Week” from February 7-16

During these dates, guests can pick up a choice of delicacies, such as heart-shaped homemade chocolates and Champagne peach cake, red velvet cookies, pink macaroons and raspberry choux, along with a perfectly pink shrimp Marie Rose club sandwich on beetroot toast. Naturally, guests can also savour Mövenpick’s own strawberry ice-cream in wafer cones. Prices range from just Bt30 to Bt180++.

Dr Boon Vanasin, Chairman of Thonburi Healthcare Group (THG), said following the official launch of Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, the hospital had been very well-received by both Thai and foreign customers alike, particularly patients from the Middle East.

“Throughout the year 2019, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital served more than 30,000 patients, generating more than Bt900 million in revenue, far exceeding the initial target,” he said.

“To keep up the momentum, THG decided to launch four new specialised centres, namely JIN Wellness Clinic, Heart Centre, Gastrointestinal & Liver Centre, and Aesthetics & Plastic Centre, targeting a doubling of its income through the help of advanced disruptive technology and the strength of its experienced medical specialists.”

Highlights of new centres 

Heart Centre

At the Heart Centre of Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, the hospital provides a comprehensive range of cardiovascular diagnostic services including:

• 3D/4D fetal echocardiography – which is superior in the accuracy of the diagnosis compared to the standard 2D examination.

• Exercise – Dobutamine Stress Echo – a greater cardiovascular examination which has the precision rate of 85 per cent compared to Exercise Stress Test. Also, it doesn’t require injection of Iodinated Contrast Medium (ICM), making the process safer for patients with kidney diseases.

• X-ray Computer – such as CT multiline and Cardiac MRI for patients who experience cardiac arrhythmia, heart palpitations, or in some cases, fainting.

• Ambulatory Electrocardiograms – which includes Holter Monitor – a portable device that measures and records heart’s activity continuously for 24 hours, S-patch, and Event Recorder.

• Cardiovascular Treatments – a variety of procedures including open-heart surgery, coronary angioplasty, EP study (electrophysiology study), radio-frequency ablation, artificial cardiac pacemaker, and automatic implantable defibrillator.

Gastrointestinal & Liver Centre

With gastroesophageal reflux and stomach ulcer being the most common disease among Thais, the Gastrointestinal & Liver Centre provides diagnosis and treatment of digestive system, liver, bile duct, and other related organs, as well as chronic and acute diseases, with help from highly-experienced specialists and state-of-the-art technology.

Services provided at the centre include Gastric Balloon Treatment and individual microbiome test.

Dr Boon said that the centre heavily prioritises its after-treatment follow-up care as most of the patients are from the Middle East.

“This group of patient often travels with their family and has to spend an extended period of time in Thailand. Thus, the hospital establishes a high-calibre Healthcare Services Unit to care for these patients and make them, along with their family members, feel most at home,” he said.

JIN Wellness Clinic 

Believing that good health starts from the inside, JIN Wellness Clinic at Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital is a holistic and anti-ageing centre which brings together natural, alternative, and modern medicine to formulate a personalised preventive programme suitable for each patient.

The centre provides various medical services through disruptive technology such as a personalised check-up programme to detect potential risks and abnormalities in the cell and organ level. The data is shown in a digital file format which allows medical experts to deliver precision diagnosis and analysis to the patient and devise a treatment plan befitting each patient’s lifestyle.

Another intriguing equipment is the External Counterpulsation Therapy (ECP). It elps stimulate blood vessels and promote heart function, which in turn, improves the functions of other organs, including brain, kidney, and eyes.

Additionally, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital has developed a Wellness Check-up Application which is able to provide basic health check within just a few minutes. The application analyses personal data of the patient and deliver results that can help doctors efficiently conduct the right treatment for their patients.

Aesthetics & Plastic Centre

At the Aesthetics & Plastic Centre, our teams of aesthetic medical experts offer consultations and personalised aesthetics programme designs. Beauty enhancement services provided include laser therapies and treatments, Botox, dermal fillers, and cosmetic surgery, performed by specialised experts and highly-skilled staff.

The centre also houses modern and latest model medical instruments approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of both Thailand and the US to ensure the customers’ safety and satisfaction.

Dr Boon further explained that the launch of these four centres is in response to the ongoing health trend of “Personalised Healthcare” which is also the core of Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital. As a result, the hospital was able to make profit earlier than initially expected; since private hospitals usually take more than three years to become profitable.

“The reason why Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital was able to make profit much faster than expected was because we focused on delivering premium personalised healthcare with advanced medical technology to our patients, whether it be Digital Dental Centre, Thonburi Diabetic Wound Care Centre, IVF Reproductive Centre, or Personalised Wellness Check-Up Centre,” he said.

“With our strengths, we were able to draw a large number of international patients, the largest group of which are from the Middle East who make up nearly 70 per cent of our foreign customers, another 15 per cent are from China, and the rest are from Myanmar, Cambodia, Germany and the US, etc”.

He added that in addition to the premium standard of our healthcare services, another advantage the hospital has is the price range since medical services in Thailand are very affordable compared to other developed nations.

“Another factor is the blooming tourism industry of our country which attracts patients from overseas to come to Thailand to receive medical care while also enjoying a nice vacation,” he added.

“All of these factors not only support the government’s policy of establishing Thailand as an international medical hub, but also play an important role in making Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital successful while staying true to its vision as the ‘Lifetime Health Guardian For All’”.

Cosmetic procedures are rising in popularity. In 2018 alone Thailand saw 140,123 procedures, according to the data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That makes Thailand the fifth highest for cosmetic procedures in the world. Despite that, the stigma around the most popular cosmetic procedure like Botulinum Toxin injection, still remains. As a dermatologist, I’ve seen many people working hard to take care of their beauty but falling for some of the big myths about botox treatment. Let me share some of the most common:

One of the biggest myths about botulinum toxin is that it causes “frozen face”. It’s described as not being able to make facial expressions. The truth is the botulinum toxin has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration and is used in relaxing, not freezing, the muscles from contracting.

Wrinkles are formed by repetitive contraction of facial muscles. Injection of regulated quantities of botulinum toxin into specific overactive muscles causes muscle relaxation. This results in smoothing out frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet temporarily — for 4-6 months. Each treatment is customisable, by only injecting small doses of botulinum toxin into specific muscles. One can have a natural softening of unwanted wrinkles without compromising facial expressions. So you can have as much or as little movement as you want. With experience and precision targeting, though, a skilled dermatologist can maintain your facial expressiveness while still freshening your overall look with targeted injections to reduce wrinkles.

The most important advice from me is that botulinum toxin injection is a medical treatment. Therefore, you should find a qualified and experienced physician to perform it in a clinic or a hospital. Moreover, you need to be cautious when injectables are offered at bargain or reduced prices, because they may have been obtained through websites or offshore, they may be counterfeit and there’s no one to assure purity or content of the solution. Serious injury or personal harm may result when unknown substances are injected.

As with anything, know your facts before undergoing any beauty treatment or procedure. When it comes to beauty, knowledge is the power that allows you to weigh risk versus benefit.

But chronic inflammation is less obvious and often more insidious.

Chronic inflammation begins without an apparent cause – and doesn’t stop. The immune system becomes activated, but the inflammatory response isn’t intermittent, as it is during an acute injury or infection. Rather, it stays on all the time at a low level.

Experts think this may be the result of an infection that doesn’t resolve, an abnormal immune reaction or such lifestyle factors as obesity, poor sleep or exposure to environmental toxins. Over time, the condition can, among other things, damage DNA and lead to heart disease, cancer and other serious disorders.

“Unlike acute inflammation, which benefits health by promoting healing and recovery, chronic inflammation is characterized by persistent increases in inflammatory proteins all throughout the body and can damage health and promote several major diseases,” says George Slavich, associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA, referring to small proteins called cytokines that the immune system releases at the site of an injury to promote recovery.

“People typically don’t know that they have chronic inflammation until it’s too late,” he says.

Individuals often learn they have chronic inflammation when they develop an autoimmune disease, such as Crohn’s disease, lupus or Type 1 diabetes, since inflammation is a hallmark of autoimmune disorders. But experts believe chronic inflammation also plays a role in developing heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive decline and mental health illnesses, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia.

Scientists are still learning about why chronic inflammation is so dangerous and how it contributes to disease. Meanwhile, they suggest actions people can take to reduce their risk, specifically by changing certain behaviors.

Numerous factors appear to raise the risk of chronic inflammation, among them social isolation, psychological stress, disturbed sleep, chronic infections, physical inactivity, poor diet, obesity and exposure to air pollutants, hazardous waste products, industrial chemicals and tobacco smoke.

Experts believe individuals can reduce their risk by adopting lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet, improving sleep, exercising regularly, quitting smoking and finding ways to decrease stress and exposure to environmental pollutants.

“Diet is one of the key factors that influences inflammation in the body,” Slavich says. “Whereas fried foods, red meat, sodas, and white bread and pastries that have refined carbohydrates tend to increase inflammation, fruits, nuts, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes and olive oil tend to reduce inflammation. Therefore, while diet is not the only factor that can be targeted to improve immune health, it is an important one.”

Scientists think chronic inflammation causes oxidative stress in the body, which is an imbalance between the production of dangerous free radicals, molecules that harm healthy tissue in the body, and antioxidants, substances that clean up waste products and neutralize them. This can damage DNA as well as proteins and fatty tissue, which in turn accelerates biological aging.

“Chronic inflammation is involved in not just a few select disorders but a wide variety of very serious physical and mental health conditions,” says Slavich, senior author of a recent paper signed by scientists from 22 institutions urging greater prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of severe chronic inflammation. “Indeed, chronic inflammatory diseases are the most significant cause of death in the world today, with more than 50 percent of all deaths being attributable to inflammation-related diseases.”

Researchers still don’t understand the exact mechanisms of how certain behaviors influence chronic inflammation, although a few examples are clear. In heart disease, for example, cigarette smoking and air pollution irritate the arteries, which stimulates inflammation.

“The ‘damage accumulation’ theory is a possibility, but the reality is that we do not know whether inflammation is causing these health and functional problems, or whether it’s an indication that some other process is evolving that undermines health,” says Luigi Ferrucci, scientific director of the National Institute on Aging. “The evidence is clearer for cardiovascular disease, since it has been demonstrated that blocking inflammation with specific drugs prevents cardiovascular events. For the other outcomes, it’s still uncertain.”

Chronic inflammation can contribute to cognitive decline and mental health disorders by boosting age-related immune system deterioration, known as immunosenescence, and by promoting vascular and brain aging, which, in combination, degrade neural and cognitive function, experts say.

“Chronic inflammation can also cause threat sensitivity and hypervigilance, which gives rise to anxiety disorders and PTSD, as well as fatigue and social-behavioral withdrawal, which are key symptoms of depression,” Slavich says.

Scientists say more research is needed to identify biomarkers or other substances that suggest the presence of chronic inflammation.

There are probably hundreds of these potential diagnostic tools produced by the immune system, but they remain unidentified, Slavich says.

The most widely used test measures levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP, a substance produced by the liver, rises when chronic inflammation is present, although the standard CRP test is nonspecific – that is, it indicates inflammation, but cannot pinpoint exactly where it is. A second, more sensitive test (hs-CRP) suggests a higher risk of heart attack, although it too can be imprecise.

Some doctors screen for CRP as part of routine physical exams and also among people at risk for heart disease and autoimmune conditions. Experts think wider screening could identify more patients. “This isn’t a bad idea,” Ferrucci says.

Another test – this one more specific to heart disease – screens for myeloperoxidase, or MPO, an enzyme released by white blood cells that kills harmful bacteria in inflamed blood vessels. Increases in MPO can be dangerous, causing further damage to arterial walls, which encourages the formation of clots. These, in turn, can block blood flow, leading to heart attack and stroke. MPO also reduces the effectiveness of HDL, the “good” cholesterol, and removes nitric oxide, which is important for the regulation of healthy blood flow.

The good news, however, is that people worried about developing chronic inflammation can take affirmative steps to prevent it.

“If we make people aware of these risk factors, our hope is that individuals will reduce the factors that apply to them,” Slavich says.

The fertility rate peaked in 1957 at 3.77 births per woman, declined to 1.84 births in 1980, increased slightly to 2.08 by 1990 and started declining again in 2007, reaching the record low by the end of 2018. The 1.73 number is below what is considered the replacement rate – producing as many births each year as deaths. That requires a fertility rate of 2.1 births per woman, according to the CDC.

The agency’s report did not address reasons the fertility rate has fallen. But other data in the report showed that women are having children later in life, with fewer births than in the past from the teen years to early 30s and more births than in the past from ages 35 to 44. The age at which women first become mothers also has increased. Today, U.S. women are, on average, 26.4 years old when they have their first child, according to a Pew Research Center study based on international data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Known as miraa in Kenya and Somalia and qat, or khat, in Arabic, its users say munching it for a few hours makes them alert and talkative, much like coffee would. But the potency of the leaf starts to wane as soon as it is picked off the tree, presenting a major challenge to suppliers in this more than $400-million-a-year industry: how to get it from the hills of central Kenya – the miraa heartland – to Nairobi, Mogadishu and other hubs of its biggest fans – the Somali community – without delay.

The answer lies in a breakneck production cycle in which the leaves are plucked, sorted, bundled and shipped in wildly careening pickup trucks to distribution centers in Nairobi, 180 miles away, in just a few chaotic hours.

The business, which is legal in Kenya, is run by trade organizations that operate like mafias. Numerous suppliers have been investigated for allegedly using unlicensed planes to fly miraa to Somalia from Nairobi, as well as allegedly using the trade as a front for money laundering. The Washington Post witnessed evidence of child labor in one miraa sorting warehouse in Maua.

The United States, Britain and other European countries have banned the leaf, classifying it as a drug even though its addictiveness has not been proved. Producers say the bans are absurd, even racist. Half a million Kenyans rely on miraa for their livelihood, according to the Kenyan government. Daniel Ngolua, a miraa farmer, calls it a “cultural treasure for us.”

The bundles of delicate miraa leaves are packed in sturdier banana leaves and loaded by the ton into the beds of pickup trucks.

The ride to Nairobi from Maua is a three-hour roller coaster along winding country roads, speeding constantly at 100 mph without touching the brakes, through busy towns and villages, flying over speed bumps, running dozens of cars and pedestrians off the road along the way. Bystanders cheer the drivers on like action-movie heroes. Drivers say they are always balancing the risks with the payoff.

Benjamin Karengea, 30, has done the drive from Maua to Nairobi once a day, every day, for eight years. “It is a very dangerous work but, what can I do? It provides for me and my family,” he said. “I am Christian and I have faith. The only thing I can do before taking off is pray.”

Many of the trucks head for Nairobi’s Little Somalia, Eastleigh, while the rest goes straight to the international airport for shipment to Somalia.

The Post was granted access by the Kenya Airport Authority to witness the loading process, but hesitant traders and cargo operators blocked a photographer from taking photos.