A form of inflammatory cell death called panoptosis triggers the storm of cytokines, or inflammatory proteins, that causes critical illness in COVID-19, researchers say. During inflammatory cell death, cells spew out their contents instead of neatly packaging them away as happens during routine cell death, Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti of St. Jude Children s Research Hospital told Reuters. Neighboring cells see the cytokines released and the other unexpected debris as a sign of danger, and they can respond by secreting more cytokines, allowing the cytokine storm to build.
Her team identified a synergy between two cytokines, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, as the cause of panoptosis in COVID-19. Mice given TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma developed the symptoms and organ damage of COVID-19 and died rapidly, Kanneganti said.
Coronavirus in the world. Photo by Facebook
While Ukrainian immunologists are talking about when the spread of coronavirus infection in Ukraine will decline, doctors and politicians in different regions of the planet are taking both concrete measures to counter the pandemic and making rather disappointing predictions about the next attacks on humanity of deadly diseases.
The US House passed a bill on Monday that would boost stimulus payments to $2,000, and Senate Democrats are now pushing for a vote on the measure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday morning blocked Democrats’ attempt to consider the bill, but a growing number of Republicans support it, including Georgia Sens, the washingtonpost.com informed.
IRS and Treasury Begin Sending Stimulus Checks to Millions of Americans
Americans can expect to start receiving a second round of stimulus checks, with some coming as early as Tuesday night, according to the Treasury Department.
Known officially as economic impact payments (EIP), the checks are part of the implementation of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, the pandemic relief bill that President Donald Trump signed on Sunday and that includes a second round of direct payments of up to $600 per person.
“These payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as tonight and will continue into next week,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wrote in a tweet Tuesday afternoon.
McConnell blocks Democrats’ attempt to quickly approve $2,000 stimulus checks amid pressure on GOP to act Mike DeBonis, Tony Romm
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Replay Video UP NEXT Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday blocked consideration of a House bill that would deliver $2,000 stimulus payments to most Americans spurning a request by President Trump even as more Senate Republicans voiced support for the dramatically larger checks. McConnell’s move was just the beginning of a saga that is likely to engulf the Senate for the rest of the week. Democrats are pushing for an up-or-down vote on the House bill, while more Republicans acknowledge a need for larger stimulus checks.
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Dec 29, 2020
Mitch McConnell Punts On $2,000 Stimulus Checks Bill Despite Bipartisan Pressure
The GOP leader said the Senate would begin a process to review President Trump s demand for increased coronavirus relief payments.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday punted on a House-passed bill to increase coronavirus relief payments to $2,000 despite mounting bipartisan support for the checks, including from President Donald Trump.
McConnell acknowledged that Trump, as he signed the most recent COVID-19 relief package on Sunday, also asked for action on three areas of his concern, including the stimulus payments. The other issues on Trump’s wish list are intensified election security and lesser liability protections for social media companies.