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Health Sciences
Penn Medicine: Targets of Anticancer Drugs Have Broader Functions than What Their Name Suggests
Drugs that inhibit the activity of enzymes called histone deacetylases (HDACs) are being widely developed for treating cancer and other diseases, with two already on the market. Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, show that a major HDAC still functions in mice even when its enzyme activity is abolished, suggesting that the beneficial effects of HDAC inhibitors may not actually be through inhibiting HDAC activity, and thus warranting the reassessment of the molecular targets of this class of drugs.
Penn Medicine: New Study Finds Similar Outcomes for Repair or Replacement of Damaged Heart Valves
New research presented today at the 2013 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found no difference in outcomes at one-year between two recommended surgical options for treating ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) – repair of the leaky valve or its replacem
Evolution Can Select for Evolvability, Penn Biologists Find
Evolution does not operate with a goal in mind; it does not have foresight. But organisms that have a greater capacity to evolve may fare better in rapidly changing environments. This raises the question: does evolution favor characteristics that increase a species’ ability to evolve?
Penn Dental Medicine Team Identifies Molecule Critical to Healing Wounds
Skin provides a first line of defense against viruses, bacteria and parasites that might otherwise make people ill. When an injury breaks that barrier, a systematic chain of molecular signaling launches to close the wound and re-establish the skin’s layer of protection.
Penn Medicine Study Shows Women's Risk of Depression Lowers After Final Menstrual Period
Risk of depression is lower in menopausal women after their final menstrual period (FMP) but a history of depression increases the risk of depressive symptoms both before and after menopause, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Penn Produces Graphene Nanoribbons With Nanopores for Fast DNA Sequencing
The instructions for building all of the body’s proteins are contained in a person’s DNA, a string of chemicals that, if unwound and strung end to end, would form a sentence 3 billion letters long.
Penn Medicine Researchers Identify First Genetic Mutations Linked to Persistent Atopic Dermatitis in African-American Children
Two specific genetic variations in people of African descent are responsible for persistent atopic dermatitis (AD), an itchy, inflammatory form of the skin disorder eczema.
A Tale of Two Genes: Penn Team Elucidates Evolution of Bitter Taste Sensitivity
It’s no coincidence that the expression “to leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth” has a double meaning; people often have strong negative reactions to bitter substances, which, though found in healthful foods like vegetables, can also signify toxicity. For this reason, the ability to sense bitterness likely played an important role in human evolution.
Penn Medicine: APOL1 Gene Speeds Kidney Disease Progression and Failure in Blacks, Regardless of Diabetes Status
A large study co-led by Penn Medicine published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine found that African Americans with the APOL1 gene variant experience faster progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and have a significantly increased risk of kidney failure, regardless of their diabetes status.
Sons of Cocaine-Using Fathers May Resist Addiction to Drug, Penn Medicine Study Suggests
A father’s cocaine use may make his sons less sensitive to the drug and thereby more likely to resist addictive behaviors, suggests new findings from an animal study presented by Penn Medicine researchers at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
In the News
Fortune
California declares a state of emergency as a new severe bird flu case was discovered. What it means for the rest of the country
Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine says the latest H5N1 bird flu strain might have a greater potential to adapt and cause severe disease in humans.
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The New York Times
Is protein powder a scam?
Colleen Tewksbury of the School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine says that the vast majority of people in the U.S. already get enough protein from the foods they eat and don’t need to take it in supplement form.
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The Washington Post
Dogs may be able to communicate by pressing buttons, research suggests
Postdoc Amritha Mallikarjun of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that dogs use buttons as a trained behavior to try and get the things they want.
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NPR
For kids with rare genetic disorders, customized CRISPR treatments offer hope
Scientists at Penn are trying to develop a template for groups of rare conditions that are similar enough to be affected by a single, easily adaptable gene-editing treatment.
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Today
I’m an orthopedist. Seven things I never do to keep my muscle and bones healthy
Samir Mehta of the Perelman School of Medicine says that older adults playing sports need to understand who their competition is and make sure they’re playing with people who are at the appropriate level.
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