copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Most of the recent warming could be natural (Jennifer Marohasy, 2017-07-09)
Evidence (2024-01-18): That extra heat is driving regional and seasonal temperature extremes, reducing snow cover and sea ice, intensifying heavy rainfall, and changing habitat ranges for plants and animals—expanding some and shrinking others. As the map below shows, most land areas have warmed faster than most ocean areas, and the Arctic is warming faster than most other regions. In addition, it's clear that the rate of warming over the past few decades is much faster than the average rate since the start of the 20th century. [...] Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850-1900 in 2011-2020. [...] The likely range of total human-caused global surface temperature increase from 1850–1900 to 2010–2019 is 0.8°C to 1.3°C, with a best estimate of 1.07°C [2.01 ˚F]. Over this period, it is likely that well-mixed greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributed a warming of 1.0°C to 2.0°C, and other human drivers (principally aerosols) contributed a cooling of 0.0°C to 0.8°C, natural (solar and volcanic) drivers changed global surface temperature by –0.1°C to +0.1°C, and internal variability changed it by –0.2°C to +0.2°C.
Claim: Most of the recent warming could be natural (Jennifer Marohasy, 2017-07-09)
Evidence (2005-03-30): Climate change may not be responsible for the recent skyrocketing cost of natural disasters, but it is very likely that it will impact future catastrophes. Climate models provide a glimpse of the future, and while they do not agree on all of the details, most models predict a few general trends. First, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will probably boost temperatures over most land surfaces, though the exact change will vary regionally. More uncertain—but possible—outcomes of an increase in global temperatures include increased risk of drought and increased intensity of storms, including tropical cyclones with higher wind speeds, a wetter Asian monsoon, and, possibly, more intense mid-latitude storms. (For more information, see Global Warming: Potential Effects of Global Warming)
Claim: Most of the recent warming could be natural (Jennifer Marohasy, 2017-07-09)
Evidence (2020-06-02): • Temperatures are rising world-wide due to greenhouse gases trapping more heat in the atmosphere. • Droughts are becoming longer and more extreme around the world. • Tropical storms becoming more severe due to warmer ocean water temperatures. • As temperatures rise there is less snowpack in mountain ranges and polar areas and the snow melts faster. • Overall, glaciers are melting at a faster rate... [...] There are many "natural" and "anthropogenic" (human-induced) factors that contribute to climate change. Climate change has always happened on Earth, which is clearly seen in the geological record; it is the rapid rate and the magnitude of climate change occurring now that is of great concern worldwide. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb heat radiation. Human activity has increased...
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-06): Nasal swabs are used to collect biological samples from the back of the nasopharynx in order to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The nasal swab has to be inserted far into the nasal cavity until it reaches the nasopharynx located behind it. The human brain is separated from the nasopharynx by several layers of hard tissue, including bone. It is therefore not possible for nasal swabs to reach the brain or the blood-brain barrier.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-08-04): A viral Facebook post makes the false claim that the nasal swab test for COVID-19 damages the "blood-brain barrier" and can therefore lead to brain infections. Medical experts say the swab test is completely safe. [...] But in recent weeks, viral posts on Facebook falsely claim that the nasal swab test can cause serious health issues. One post says, "The stick deep into the nose causes damage to the hamato-encephalic barrier and damages endocrine glands. This test creates an entrance to the brain for every infection." [...] Fauzia, Miriam. "Fact check: No, the COVID-19 nasal test doesn’t swab the blood-brain barrier." USA Today. 9 July 2020.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2023-01-16): Explanation: Nasal swabs are used to collect biological samples from the back of the nasopharynx in order to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The nasal swab has to be inserted far into the nasal cavity until it reaches the nasopharynx located behind it. The human brain is separated from the nasopharynx by several layers of hard tissue, including bone. It is therefore not possible for nasal swabs to reach the brain or the blood-brain barrier.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-18): Coronavirus tests: Swabs don't damage the brain and other claims fact-checked - Published [...] The nose swab can't damage the brain [...] "The swab cannot reach the blood brain barrier without significant force that breaks several layers of tissue and bone. We have not seen any complications from Covid swabs in our neurology practice", says Dr Liz Coulthard, a committee member of the British Neuroscience Association (BNA).
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-18): The nose swab can't damage the brain [...] The idea you could access the blood-brain barrier through a swab up the nose is a complete misunderstanding of what it is and how it works. [...] "The swab cannot reach the blood brain barrier without significant force that breaks several layers of tissue and bone. We have not seen any complications from Covid swabs in our neurology practice", says Dr Liz Coulthard, a committee member of the British Neuroscience Association (BNA).
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-06): There is no evidence the swab used to test for COVID-19 could compromise the blood-brain barrier. [...] It is simply not possible for the nasopharyngeal swabs used in COVID-19 tests to compromise the blood-brain barrier. [...] It would not be possible for the 6-inch nasopharyngeal swabs used in COVID-19 tests to compromise the blood-brain barrier, which refers to the tightly packed cells inside the blood vessels of the brain.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-07): Nasal swabs are preferred over mouth swabs as a more accurate way of testing for COVID-19. [...] We rated as Pants on Fire a claim that "the spot where they are ‘getting a sample’ for the COVID-19 test is called your Blood-Brain Barrier." The swabs do not go anywhere near the blood-brain barrier, the name given to the unique protective properties found in blood vessels that supply blood to the central nervous system. And there is no evidence that getting a COVID-19 test could cause anything more serious than temporary irritation. [...] USA Today, "Fact check: Though nasal test for COVID-19 swabs deep into the nose, nothing is implanted," July 11, 2020
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2021-06-03): Interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with the Blood-Brain Barrier - PMID: 33800954 - PMCID: PMC7961671 - DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052681 [...] Emerging data indicate that neurological complications occur as a consequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a critical interface that regulates entry of circulating molecules into the CNS, and is regulated by signals that arise from the brain and blood compartments. In this review, we discuss mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 interactions with the BBB may contribute to neurological dysfunction associated with coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by SARS-CoV-2. We consider aspects of peripheral disease, such as hypoxia and systemic inflammatory response syndrome/cytokine storm, as well as CNS infection and mechanisms of viral entry into the brain. We also discuss the contribution of risk factors for developing severe COVID-19 to BBB dysfunction that could increase viral entry or otherwise damage the brain. [...] Neurological Complications Associated with the Blood-Brain Barrier Damage Induced by the Inflammatory Response During SARS-CoV-2 Infection.Mol Neurobiol. 2021 Feb;58(2):520-535. doi: 10.1007/s12035-020-02134-7. Epub 2020 Sep 25. Mol Neurobiol. 2021. PMID: 32978729 Free PMC article. Review.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-08-19): The swabs that gave COVID-19 testing its reputation are the nasopharyngeal swabs. Although these are considered the "gold standard" of testing, they are undeniably uncomfortable. [...] So from late March and into April, organisations including the US Food and Drug Administration and US Centers for Disease Control, and Australia’s Public Health Laboratory Network, announced they would move away from the deeper nasopharyngeal swabs to using nasal swabs for this type of testing. [...] Comparative studies show throat/nasal swabs are as sensitive as nasopharyngeal to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2021-09-06): Google Scholar de Melo, G. D. et al. COVID-19-related anosmia is associated with viral persistence and inflammation in human olfactory epithelium and brain infection in hamsters. Science Transl. Med.13, eabf8396 (2021). [...] Meinhardt, J. et al. Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19. Nat. Neurosci.24, 168–175 (2021). [...] Butowt, R., Meunier, N., Bryche, B. & von Bartheld, C. S. The olfactory nerve is not a likely route to brain infection in COVID-19: a critical review of data from humans and animal models. Acta Neuropathol.141, 809–822 (2021).
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-10): Nasal swab used for COVID-19 testing does not reach the brain Nasal swabs are used to collect biological samples from the back of the nasopharynx in order to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The nasal swab has to be inserted far into the nasal cavity until it reaches the nasopharynx located behind it. The human brain is separated from the nasopharynx by several layers of hard tissue, including bone. It is therefore not possible for nasal swabs to reach the brain or the blood-brain barrier. [...] A Facebook post shared more than 16,000 times claims that the nasopharyngeal swab (nasal swab), which is widely used to collect biological samples for testing for active SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus responsible for COVID-19), scrapes and damages the blood-brain barrier (BBB) leading to serious health problems. This claim is incorrect because it is anatomically impossible.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-07-08): Fact check: No, the COVID-19 nasal test doesn't swab the blood-brain barrier [...] Nasseri, who has performed COVID-19 nasal swabbing countless of times in his own clinic, emphasized that piercing the dura mater to get to the blood-brain barrier with the typical soft swab used, even with poor sampling technique, was "very incredibly unlikely." [...] We rate the claim that the COVID-19 nasal test samples the blood-brain barrier as FALSE because it is not supported by our research. The blood-brain barrier, a system of vessels surrounding the central nervous system, is not readily in reach without piercing through several protective layers – an unlikely feat with a soft nasal swab. The additional claim that swabbing leads to damage in the olfactory epithelium is also unlikely.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-08-07): Even if growing suspicions turn out to be right, it leaves the question of how the virus would be doing its damage. Blood clots throughout the body seem to be emerging as a hallmark of the disease. But, in rare cases some viruses, like the virus that causes chickenpox, can target the brain’s blood vessel system and other tissue, wreaking havoc on the brain’s blood supply — but it is not clear that COVID-19 does the same thing. [...] Respiratory problems from COVID-19 can cause oxygen levels to drop steeply, which is dangerous for the brain. And the out-of-control immune responses, kidney damage, clotting, and other severe symptoms sometimes seen with COVID-19 could easily spell trouble for the nervous system. [...] "We know that other viruses can hop from the nose, through the olfactory bulb, into the brain and we know that COVID can cause neurological symptoms," Datta says. "Is that what’s going on here?"
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2023-12-21): A sinus infection can spread to the brain, although this is rare. People require immediate medical treatment if a sinus infection reaches the brain.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2021-06-23): SARS-CoV-2 may also enter the central nervous system via the nasal cavity, through the foramina of the cribriform plate, and into the olfactory epithelium. There, the virus can exploit the close vicinity of olfactory sensory neurons whose axons project into the olfactory bulb of the brain (Montalvan et al., 2020). Olfactory entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the CNS is now supported by multiple studies. Meinhardt et al. (2021) analyzed the olfactory mucosa, its nervous projections, and several CNS regions in 33 individuals who died from COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 RNA and/or protein were identified in anatomically distinct regions of both the nasopharynx and brain, including the medulla oblongata of the brainstem (Meinhardt et al., 2021). SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were highest within the olfactory mucosa sampled directly under the cribriform plate (n = 20 of 30). [...] Lee, M.-H., Perl, D. P., Nair, G., Li, W., Maric, D., Murray, H., et al. (2021). Microvascular injury in the brains of patients with Covid-19. N. Engl. J. Med. 384, 481–483. doi: 10.1056/nejmc2033369 [...] Meinhardt, J., Radke, J., Dittmayer, C., Franz, J., Thomas, C., Mothes, R., et al. (2021). Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19. Nat. Neurosci. 24, 168–175.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2022-03-05): Butowt R, Meunier N, Bryche B, von Bartheld CS (2021) The olfactory nerve is not a likely route to brain infection in COVID-19: a critical review of data from humans and animal models. Acta Neuropathol 141(6):809–822 Butowt R, von Bartheld CS (2021) Anosmia in COVID-19: underlying mechanisms and assessment of an olfactory route to brain infection. The Neuroscientist 27(6):582–603. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073858420956905 [...] Meinhardt J, Radke J, Dittmayer C, Franz J, Thomas C, Mothes R, Laue M, Schneider J, Brünink S, Greuel S, Lehmann M, Hassan O, Aschman T, Schumann E, Chua RL, Conrad C, Eils R, Stenzel W, Windgassen M, Rößler L, Goebel HH, Gelderblom HR, Martin H, Nitsche A, Schulz-Schaeffer WJ, Hakroush S, Winkler MS, Tampe B, Scheibe F, Körtvélyessy P, Reinhold D, Siegmund B, Kühl AA, Elezkurtaj S, Horst D, Oesterhelweg L, Tsokos M, Ingold-Heppner B, Stadelmann C, Drosten C, Corman VM, Radbruch H, Heppner FL (2021) Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19. Nat Neurosci 24(2):168–175
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2022-09-07): Although the cause of neuroinvasion and BBB damage in COVID-19 is still unclear, the extent of neurological injury and BBB damage appears to be related to the degree of cognitive impairment and severity of COVID-19 infection. Cranial nerves and the BBB may be important structures for direct and indirect interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the brain. In this review, we assessed the potential involvement of neuroinvasion and BBB dysfunction in SARS-CoV-2 infection, exploring its impact on COVID-19-related cognitive dysfunction. [...] The olfactory nerve is mainly composed of olfactory receptor neurons and directly connects the nasal cavity and the CNS [52]. Some pathogens can infect olfactory sensory neurons and their axons that project into the olfactory bulb, which allows the viruses to bypass the BBB and reach the CNS through the so-called olfactory pathway [53]. In one study, of 38 patients with confirmed COVID-19, 73.7% were reported to have positive RT-PCR tests on nasopharyngeal swabs [54]. In a Spanish COVID-19 cohort, 36% of the patients initially presented with anosmia [55]. In a large European multicentre cohort of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients, 85.6% and 88.8%, respectively, had olfactory and taste dysfunction [56]. [...] Meinhardt J, Radke J, Dittmayer C, Franz J, Thomas C, Mothes R, Laue M, Schneider J, Brunink S, Greuel S, et al. Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19. Nat Neurosci. 2021;24:168–75. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-020-00758-5.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2008-08-10): Nasal swab COVID-19 test less sensitive, easier than sinus swab Nasal swabs are less sensitive than deeper sinus swabs at detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 but are still highly accurate, found a study by a VA researcher. The "gold standard" for detecting SARS-CoV-2 is a nasopharyngeal swab, which takes a sample from the back of the sinuses through the nose. Researchers reviewed studies of how effective this type of COVID-19 test was compared with nasal swabs taken from the nostrils. They found that nasal swabs were 82% to 88% effective at detecting the virus, compared with 98% for nasopharyngeal swabs. However, nasal swabs are quicker to perform and require less protective equipment. The lower sensitivity of nasal swabs is balanced by the ability to screen more patients and the easier procedure, conclude the researchers. (PLoS One, July 20, 2021)
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2024-05-15): - Nasal drainage of CSF (this may be difficult to distinguish from normal nasal discharge without testing) [...] - Analysis of the nasal fluid: This test is used to detect beta-2 transferrin, a protein found almost exclusively in CSF.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2023-10-13): Considering that SARS-CoV-2 infections cause neurologic effects in human and human ACE2 transgenic mice, and typically follow respiratory system infection, we used models mimicking the natural infection route. We intranasally infected dogs with the Delta variant, and virus subsequently was transmitted to contact dogs. We assessed detection of viruses in the brain and damage to the integrity of the BBB as well as activation of neuroimmune responses in the brain. To test whether SARS-CoV-2 can indeed induce neuropathologic changes in the brain, we also assessed further patterns of demyelination and axonal damage. We describe our methods here in brief; details are provided in the Appendix, [...] e12939 . DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar - Washington University in St. Louis. COVID-19 infections increase risk of long-term brain problems: strokes, seizures, memory and movement disorders among problems that develop in first year after infection. Science Daily [cited 2023 Apr 10]. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220922124408.htm - Ozel T, Erdem NS, Ünal A, Yalçin AN, İnan D, Ilhanli N, et al. Neurological manifestations and mortality in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Neurological Sciences and Neurophysiology. 2022;39:138–45. DOIGoogle Scholar - Douaud G, Lee S, Alfaro-Almagro F, Arthofer C, Wang C, McCarthy P, et al. SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank. Nature. 2022;604:697–707. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar - Matschke J, Lütgehetmann M, Hagel C, Sperhake JP, Schröder AS, Edler C, et al. Neuropathology of patients with COVID-19 in Germany: a post-mortem case series. Lancet Neurol. 2020;19:919–29. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2022-03-17): Multiple Facebook (FB) posts published by the same netizen on Sept. 14 and which continued to circulate this month falsely claim that the COVID-19 nasal swab test is "dangerous" and could cause death. The swab inserted through the nose allegedly "damages" the endocrine glands and "breaks" the blood-brain barrier, allowing infections to reach the brain. [...] A group of public health researchers and scientists convened by international nonprofit organization Meedan said it is "virtually impossible" for a nasal swab to "access or have any impact" on the blood-brain barrier. "Rupturing the blood-brain barrier would require breaking through multiple layers of tissue, drilling through bone, and going through blood vessels, which is not possible with a nasal swab," they said in Meedan’s COVID-19 Expert Database website.
Claim: Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it. (Facebook Users, 2020-07-06)
Evidence (2020-08-01): Conclusion Our report shows that patients’ CSF may be devoid of viral particles even when they test positive for COVID-19 on a nasal swab. Whether SARS-CoV-2 is present in CSF may depend on the systemic disease severity and the degree of the virus’ nervous tissue tropism and should be examined in future studies. [...] Our second patient is a 62-year-old woman who had an acute-onset right hemiparesis and aphasia, and her CT angiogram revealed a left middle cerebral artery occlusion, for which she underwent mechanical thrombectomy with full recanalisation. She was discharged to rehabilitation in late March 2020, but 10 days after discharge, she returned with a change in mental status, and her head CT demonstrated haemorrhagic conversion with midline shift and obstructive hydrocephalus (figure 1D) requiring a decompressive hemicraniectomy and EVD placement (figure 1E). Postoperatively, the patient remained intubated due to poor mental status. As part of evaluation for tracheostomy, the patient underwent COVID-19 testing via a nasal swab, which was positive in the absence of overt symptoms, such as persistent fever or an ARDS-like picture on chest X-ray. Since the patient continued to have an EVD in place, CSF was sent for SARS-CoV-2 testing to rule out CNS involvement, and real-time PCR was negative on two consecutive samples. Of note, the patient was retested via nasal swab 4 days after her first positive result and her nasal swab was negative for COVID-19, indicating recovery. Individual patient consent was obtained for the publication of this report.