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Perelman School of Medicine
Further testing on sunscreen is needed. That’s no reason to avoid it
Further testing on sunscreen is needed. That’s no reason to avoid it
Following a study on active ingredients in sunscreen, the takeaway is: Wear it. Avobenzone, which was found to be absorbed into the bloodstream, is not ‘not safe,’ says dermatology’s Bruce Bod.
Reaching millennial women ‘where they’re at’—on Instagram
Reaching millennial women ‘where they’re at’—on Instagram
Researchers in the Women’s Health Clinical Research Center at Penn Medicine began experimenting with using Instagram for clinical birth control trial recruitment in 2017, and have since seen a surge in research participants.
Artificial cells can deliver molecules better than the real thing
Artificial cells can deliver molecules better than the real thing
With an onion-like structure, the artificial cells developed by researchers at Penn appear more stable and better equipped to carry cargo than their natural and commercial counterparts.
Cardiac genetic mutation may not always predict heart disease
Cardiac genetic mutation may not always predict heart disease
Researchers at Penn Medicine and Geisinger find only 5% of patients with a mutation of the TTN gene have dilated cardiomyopathy, despite changes in heart function.
Saving energy in the buildings that save lives
Saving energy in the buildings that save lives
In a Q&A, Kat Morlang, energy manager at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, discusses optimizing chiller plants, swapping out inefficient lights, and other ideas to make the health system as energy-efficient as possible.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may raise risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may raise risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia
A Penn study of more than 150,000 men with prostate cancer shows androgen deprivation therapy was associated with a higher likelihood of developing dementia when compared to patients who were not exposed to the treatment.
Shorter courses of proton therapy can be just as effective on prostate cancer
Shorter courses of proton therapy can be just as effective on prostate cancer
Treating prostate cancer with higher doses of proton therapy over a shorter amount of time leads to similar outcomes when compared to standard dose levels and treatments, and is safe for patients.
How doctors can help cancer patients quit tobacco
How doctors can help cancer patients quit tobacco
A simple set of decision-support tools combined with institutional buy-in can help increase the number of cancer patients who engage in treatment to help them quit tobacco.
One simple change can reduce frequent cancer imaging by half
One simple change can reduce frequent cancer imaging by half
A “nudge” is helping shorten treatment time for patients with advanced cancer, with less frequent palliative radiation therapy sessions.
Use of evidence-based therapies for youth psychiatric treatment is slow to catch on
Use of evidence-based therapies for youth psychiatric treatment is slow to catch on
Intensive training and practices are critical but underutilized in Philadelphia, despite city and researchers’ substantial efforts to showcase their value.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
How to help a hoarder set goals and make progress
Thea Gallagher of the Perelman School of Medicine said she likes Marie Kondo’s concept of thanking belongings before parting with them.
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The New Yorker
The promise and price of cellular therapies
Carl June of the Perelman School of Medicine was profiled for his contributions to the field of CAR-T cellular therapy.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
In surgical recovery—or any tough task—the key is to keep moving, cardiac resident learns
Jason Han, a surgical resident in the Perelman School of Medicine, wrote about the importance of movement to post-operative recovery. When patients get some momentum, “their mindset about recovery changes. They begin to believe their recovery is within their control and they challenge themselves to participate in their recovery.”
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Vox.com
Everyone wants to Instagram the world’s most beautiful canyon. Should they?
Anjan Chatterjee of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the tourist appeal of photogenic sites like Antelope Canyon. “There is a beauty to the space, but it is also overwhelming in the sense that you feel small and insignificant, and almost associated with some anxiety. There’s something about being forced to look upward that seems to convey both elevation and a sense of your own smallness.”
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Reuters Health
Reduced work hours for trainee doctors not seen to compromise care
Krisda Chaiyachati of the Perelman School of Medicine weighed in on workday reforms that limited doctors in training to an 80-work week and 30-hour shifts. “I imagine it would be politically challenging to ask young physicians to routinely work, say, 100 hours a week.”
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