2.19
Health Sciences
Specialized surgery gets Goliath back to the farm
Diagnosed with an abnormal blood vessel in her liver, Goliath, a Great Pyrenees farm dog, underwent a successful specialized procedure at Penn Vet to correct her blood flow and get her back to work on the farm.
Hindering melanoma metastasis with an FDA-approved drug
A drug approved by the FDA 65 years ago for blood pressure control may aid in preventing cancer from spreading to distant organs. New research led by Serge Fuchs revealed that this drug disrupted formation of a fertile environment for metastasis by protecting healthy cells from harmful vesicles released by tumors.
Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
That’s the aim of a recently completed pilot program connecting Penn Memory Center patients, Penn graduate students, and Curtis Institute musicians.
The NICU ensures safe sleep one swaddle at a time
The Women & Babies Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit focuses on promoting sleep safety techniques with parents while their baby is still in the NICU.
Does opioid use in pets create higher risk for abuse in humans?
A new study shows a 41 percent increase in opioids for small animals over the past 10 years, indicating an avenue of potential risk for human access to opioids.
Black and Hispanic teens see risky behaviors on social media, but few actually post about them
The research, from Penn Nursing and Annenberg, points to a need to change the feedback loop on these channels and to dispel myths about what constitutes normal behaviors.
Cell development discovery changes our understanding of how genes shape early embryos
To fit inside each nucleus, DNA coils around specialized proteins. These spools of wrapped DNA inhibit gene regulatory proteins from binding to protein-coding stretches along the genome, which help keep genes in the “off” position when they’re not needed.
Resistance to cancer treatment is a chain reaction
A study identifies a chain reaction in cells that enables cancer to resist treatments that target BRAF mutations.
Improvements needed for care, safety of pediatric patients in hospital settings
Penn Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research found that when acute-care settings have better work environments for nurses, children are better protected.
Doctors can weigh in on brain tumors remotely
Brain tumor patients will now have access to Penn Medicine’s cancer expertise through the new telemedicine second opinion program for brain tumors.
In the News
Science
Poor sleep could clog your arteries. A mouse study shows how that might happen
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Namni Goel weighed in on a new study that found that poor sleep can clog arteries.
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Men’s Health
Why gene editing may hold the promise of a herpes cure
Sita Awasthi of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed the challenges researchers face in pursuing a cure for herpes. In spite of advances in CRISPR technology, Awasthi emphasizes the continued need for a preventive vaccine.
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The Wall Street Journal
How community health workers could create less-costly, higher-quality care
A study by Shreya Kangovi of the Perelman School of Medicine offered evidence that a comprehensive community health worker program, similar to those implemented in countries with shortages of doctors and nurses, could be effective in the U.S.
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Men’s Health
So, Meghan Markle is using a ‘doula’—What’s the deal with that?
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Sindhu Srinivas commented on the increasing number of doulas employed by hospitals. Obstetricians “can’t be in the room the whole time, but doulas can, which can help women feel more supported,” said Srinivas.
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Reuters Health
Hospitals serving more minorities may offer less palliative care
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Kate Courtright commented on new findings that hospitals that primarily serve minorities provide their patients with less palliative care than other hospitals.
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