7.30
Health Sciences
Vaccine lotteries and beyond: What motivates healthy behaviors
Vaccine lotteries and beyond: What motivates healthy behaviors
As COVID-19 vaccines have become available to the general public and vaccination rates began to slow, there has been a boom in incentives for receiving the vaccine across the United States. CHIBE’s Kevin Volpp investigates the trend.
Lipids model how to explore for unexpected diseases
Lipids model how to explore for unexpected diseases
Lipids are known heritable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but increasing evidence also supports shared genetics with diseases of other organ systems.
What to expect as Penn transitions to a fully in-person fall semester
What to expect as Penn transitions to a fully in-person fall semester
Penn Today looks at guidelines for those on campus this summer, what members of the community can expect as they return to campus, and the role that vaccines have in safely resuming in-person activities.
The pandemic, health inequities, and an ‘opportunity for change’
The pandemic, health inequities, and an ‘opportunity for change’
Experts across the University weigh in on which lessons the pandemic drove home and what immediate measures are needed to prevent future loss.
Advocating reimbursement parity for nurse practitioners
Advocating reimbursement parity for nurse practitioners
The current Medicare reimbursement policy for nurse practitioners allows them to directly bill Medicare for services that they perform, but they are reimbursed at only 85% of the physician rate. A new Penn Nursing article argues that payment parity is essential.
With remarkable similarities to MS, a disease in dogs opens new avenues for study
With remarkable similarities to MS, a disease in dogs opens new avenues for study
Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine led by Jorge Iván Alvarez and Molly Church found that the canine disease granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis shares many of the same pathological and immunological features as MS.
Penn mRNA pioneers receive the Princess of Asturias Award
Penn mRNA pioneers receive the Princess of Asturias Award
Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó earned the prestigious honor for their foundational research that led to development of two lifesaving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Higher COVID-19 mortality among Black patients linked to unequal hospital quality
Higher COVID-19 mortality among Black patients linked to unequal hospital quality
If Black patients were admitted to the same hospitals that serve a majority of white patients, Penn Medicine researchers show their risk of death would drop by 10%.
How mRNA vaccines help fight cancer tumors
How mRNA vaccines help fight cancer tumors
Penn researchers are looking to mRNA vaccines for applications outside of infectious diseases, as they can not only prompt strong antibody responses to fight off invaders, like COVID-19, but also potent cytotoxic T cell responses.
HUP’s p-tube system keeps services up and running
HUP’s p-tube system keeps services up and running
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s pneumatic tube system delivers nearly 4,000 specimens, blood and blood products, and other urgently needed supplies and medications to stations throughout the campus each day.
In the News
“All Things Considered,” National Public Radio
COVID symptoms may linger in some vaccinated people who get infected, study finds
Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia said that initially, COVID-19 “was billed falsely as a winter respiratory virus that, like influenza, could cause severe and occasionally fatal pneumonia. But this virus is much more than that.”
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Today
Olympians face 'overwhelming' mental pressure—especially this year
Jeremy Tyler of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the pressure faced by Olympic athletes. “Imagine going into the most important moment of your present lifetime, the world watching, having the knowledge that everyone expects you to live up to your reputation of being the best … and you’ve got go into it completely alone, without any social or emotional support,” he said. “I can’t think of a higher pressure or more daunting task to go through.”
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Penn researching ways to avoid side effects of key treatment for serious COVID cases
To improve outcomes for patients hospitalized with COVID-19, researchers led by Mitchell Lazar of the Perelman School of Medicine are exploring which populations are most prone to side effects when treated with glucocorticoids, a type of steroid.
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Forbes
The most common causes of memory loss
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about memory loss, the condition’s symptoms, and seeking diagnosis. “Start with a doctor who knows you well, so a primary care physician,” he said. “Ideally, people go in with someone who knows them well—a spouse, child or close friend—who can speak to what they’ve been seeing.”
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The Hill
Masks and vaccines: What would you do to save a child?
Susan Coffin and Sage Myers of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia wrote an opinion piece about unvaccinated children’s vulnerability to the COVID-19 delta variant. They called for adults to continue wearing masks in risky environments, saying, “allowing even one child to become severely ill is too many if it can be prevented with simple measures.”
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