11.27
Health Sciences
Common cardiac device implants and persistent opioid use overlap
Common cardiac device implants and persistent opioid use overlap
A new study from Penn Medicine shows that about 12% of patients who receive implantable cardiac devices will continue taking pain medication in the months afterward.
New book offers lessons for parents on discussing campus sexual assault
New book offers lessons for parents on discussing campus sexual assault
In the guide for caregivers whose child was sexually assaulted on a college campus, Susan B. Sorenson provides advice and identifies resources, both on campus and within the community.
A better estimate for tick numbers with ‘citizen science’ data
A better estimate for tick numbers with ‘citizen science’ data
A team led by School of Arts & Sciences biologists found a way to account for biases in data collected by members of the public, using it to create a comprehensive abundance map of the tick responsible for transmitting Lyme disease.
Navigating holidays in a pandemic, again
Navigating holidays in a pandemic, again
Experts from Penn’s Center for Public Health Initiatives and Positive Psychology Center offer six tips for making the holiday season joyful, fun, and safe.
A FAST approach to helping food insecurity
A FAST approach to helping food insecurity
FAST (Food Access Support Technology) is a new platform created by Penn Medicine’s Center for Health Equity Advancement (CHEA) that connects health systems, food access community-based organizations and minority-owned small businesses to fight food insecurity.
Common gene variants linked to sepsis and COVID-19 severity in African Americans
Common gene variants linked to sepsis and COVID-19 severity in African Americans
Two genetic risk variants that are carried by nearly 40% of Black individuals may exacerbate the severity of both sepsis and COVID-19. A Penn Medicine study identifies two potential pathways to reduce the health disparities driven by these gene mutations.
Past plagues, current pandemics, and public hygiene messaging
Past plagues, current pandemics, and public hygiene messaging
History Ph.D. candidate Sarah Xia Yu discusses her research on public hygiene in China and what the past might tell us about how governments could better communicate public health messages.
Automated texting system saved lives weekly during first COVID surge
Automated texting system saved lives weekly during first COVID surge
Patients enrolled in COVID Watch, an algorithmically driven text messaging system backed by a small team of nurses, were 68% less likely to die from COVID-19.
Penn Medicine launches new Colton Center for Autoimmunity
Penn Medicine launches new Colton Center for Autoimmunity
The Center, made possible through a $10 million gift from alumni Stewart and Judy Colton, unites game-changing research and patient care programs across the University, and connects Penn’s efforts to two other world-renowned institutions.
In the brain’s cerebellum, a new target for suppressing hunger
In the brain’s cerebellum, a new target for suppressing hunger
A research team led by J. Nicholas Betley in the School of Arts & Sciences has identified an entirely new way the brain signals fullness after eating. The findings offer a novel target for therapies that could dramatically curb overeating.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Like blood pressure and temperature, sleep should be an important vital sign for every patient
Jason Han, a cardiac surgery resident at Penn Medicine, wrote an opinion piece about the importance of sleep to patients’ recovery and providers’ wellness. “I consider sleep as another vital sign for them—and for me,” he wrote.
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NPR
I’m fully vaccinated and I also had COVID. Do I need a booster?
John Wherry of the Perelman School of Medicine said the COVID-19 booster shot is safe for those with hybrid immunity, which occurs when someone who has already had the virus gets vaccinated. However, he said, hybrid immunity is already powerful on its own.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Telemedicine is here to stay, but how it will be covered by insurance is still being debated
Rolando Vega, a graduate student at the School of Nursing, wrote an opinion piece about the future of telemedicine. If signed by the governor, a Pennsylvania State Sensate Bill would mandate full insurance reimbursement for these services going forward. “This bill is essential and there is a sense of urgency as many patients, as well as health care providers are counting on its final approval,” Vega wrote.
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BBC News
Could mRNA make us superhuman?
Research by Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine laid the groundwork for mRNA vaccines.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
What COVID-19 precautions should I take over the holidays?
Richard Wender of the Perelman School of Medicine said COVID-19 precautions are still needed this holiday season. “When you’re dealing with something like a global pandemic, you just gotta take life day-by-day and not act as if the ending has already arrived, because it hasn’t, and in many parts of the country, COVID rates are quite high right now,” he said.
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