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Health Sciences
Penn Study: In-Car Breathalyzers for DUI Offenders Curb Drunk-Driving Deaths by 15 Percent
State laws that require drivers who’ve been convicted of drunk driving to pass a breathalyzer-type test before starting their cars saved an estimated 915 lives between 2004 and 2013, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of
Penn Study Suggests Reduced Immunosuppression Drug Dose May Be Best for Kidney Transplant Outcomes
The kidney is the most commonly transplanted organ in the United States, with more than 17,000 transplants performed each year. Following kidney transplant, patients are routinely placed on a regimen of immunosuppressant medications to prevent organ rejection, which often includes calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) as the backbone medication of this regimen.
To Increase Group Exercise, Penn Study Suggests Rewarding the Individual and the Team
Financial incentives aimed at increasing physical activity among teams are most effective when the incentives are rewarded for a combination of individual and team performance, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Penn Experts Warn that Touting "Naturalness" of Breastfeeding Could Backfire
Breastfeeding campaigns that extol breastfeeding as the “natural” way to feed infants could result in harmful decision-making by some parents on other important health matters, according to experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Penn Vet Team Promotes One Health Concepts in Education
What can a scattering of dead pigeons mean for human health? Sometimes, a lot.
Penn Study Shows a Form of Genetically Elevated "Good" Cholesterol May Actually be Bad
The generally accepted medical maxim that elevated HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) is “good” has been overturned by a multi-center, international study, led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Penn Study Reveals Unintended Consequences of New Staffing Model Designed to Save Costs in Public Mental Health Clinics
Community mental health clinics, where most specialty mental health treatment is delivered, have been relying more on independent contractors to treat patients, largely for budgetary reasons.
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.
In the News
Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles could replace some antibiotics
According to a Penn Medicine study, a new therapy involving laser light and sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can reduce tooth decay and infected wounds without needing antibiotics.
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A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests
A clinical trial led by Stephen Bagley of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that targeting two associated proteins with CAR T cell therapy could be a viable strategy for shrinking brain tumors.
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Alzheimer’s may be caused by a build-up of fat in brain cells
A study by Michael Haney of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that the root cause of Alzheimer’s is a build-up of fat droplets in brain cells.
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Cats aren’t jerks. They’re just misunderstood
James Serpell of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that the domestic cat suffers from its legacy of being a not-quite-wild animal on the margins of society.
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Philadelphia hospital program adds psychologists to bridge mental health services for trauma survivors
A new psychology team at the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program has provided about 46 survivors with short- and long- term therapy, featuring remarks from Elinore Kaufman and Lily Brown of the Perelman School of Medicine.
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