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Perelman School of Medicine
Street Lights, Parks, and Public Transportation Associated with Lower Youth Homicide Rates
Street lighting, illuminated walk/don’t walk signs, painted crosswalks, public transportation, community parks, and maintained vacant lots are associated with significant decreased likelihood of homicide among youth in a city neighborhood, according to a study published today in JAMA Pediatrics
Penn Team Reverses Signs of Naturally Occurring Chronic Periodontitis
Periodontitis, a gum disease present in nearly half of all adults in the United States, involves inflammation, bleeding and bone loss. In its severe form, it is associated with systemic inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Penn Researchers Identify Cause of Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetics
More than 29 million Americans are currently living with diabetes. The majority have type 2 diabetes, and for them insulin resistance – their body’s inability to effectively process sugar – is a part of daily life. Therefore, understanding the cause of insulin resistance is critical to tackling this chronic disease.
Penn Professor Urges Physicians to Help Victims of Torture Seeking Asylum
Refugees seeking asylum in the United States are twice as likely to be granted protection if their application is supported by medical documentation of torture, writes Jules Lipoff, MD, an assistant professor of Clinical Dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and two colleagues in the March 7 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.
Tapping into Twitter to Help Recruit Cancer Patients into #ClinicalTrials
Twitter may be an effective, untapped resource to stimulate interest in cancer clinical trials and boost enrollment, physicians at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvaniasuggest in a new research letter in JAMA Oncology. Analyzing thousands of lung cancer tweets on the social media site revealed that a surprisingly large number were about clinical trials, particularly ones on immunotherapy, although none were used for recruitment.
Blocking Transfer of Calcium to Cell's Powerhouse Selectively Kills Cancer Cells, Suggesting a New Way to Fight the Disease
Inhibiting the transfer of calcium ions into the cell’s powerhouse is specifically toxic to cancer cells, according to an article published this week in Cell Reports by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Ramon Diaz-Arrastia Appointed Presidential Professor at Penn
Ramon Diaz-Arrastia has been named the ninth Presidential Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, effective July 1. A world-leading expert in traumatic brain injury, Diaz-Arrastia will be Presidential Professor of Neurology in Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Three Penn Researchers Awarded 2016 Sloan Fellowships
Three University of Pennsylvania faculty members are among recipients of this year’s Sloan Research Fellowship, two from Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, one from Penn’s
7th Annual Penn Public Policy Challenge Finals
WHO & WHAT: The Public Policy Challenge invites students from across the University of Pennsylvania to develop a policy proposal based on an issue that affects Philadelphia, such as education, public health, homelessness, recidivism and others.
Penn Medicine Research Finds Drug That Curbs Heavy Drinking is More Effective in Patients with Specific Genotype
The drug topiramate (Topamax) is effective at helping alcohol-dependent individuals and heavy drinkers avoid heavy drinking, but many patients and clinicians have shied away from using the drug due to its reputation for side effects, such as drowsiness and cognitive difficulties.
In the News
Man does DNA test, not prepared for what comes back ‘unusually high’
César de la Fuente of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Perelman School of Medicine says that Neanderthal DNA provides insights into human evolution, population dynamics, and genetic adaptations, including correlations with traits such as immunity and susceptibility to diseases.
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Rural jails turn to community health workers to help the newly released succeed
According to Aditi Vasan of the Leonard Davis Institute and Perelman School of Medicine, evidence is mounting in favor of the model of training community health workers to help their neighbors connect to government and health care services.
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What is food noise and how do you get rid of it?
According to Thomas Wadden of the Perelman School of Medicine, people taking GLP-1 drugs are finding that daily experiences that used to trigger a compulsion to eat or think about food no longer have that effect.
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How to die in good health
PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel says that incessantly preparing for old age mistakes a long life for a worthwhile one.
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Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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