8.28
Health Sciences
New pain management protocol sends 92% of cancer surgery patients home without opioids
New pain management protocol sends 92% of cancer surgery patients home without opioids
A Penn study of robotic urologic surgery patients points to a key step in overcoming opioid crisis—start patients with over the counter medications, and only use opioids if they are really needed.
Children who nap midday are happier, excel academically, and have fewer behavioral problems
Children who nap midday are happier, excel academically, and have fewer behavioral problems
A Penn study of nearly 3,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in China revealed strong connections between 30 to 60 minutes of shuteye at least three days a week and positive outcomes in a handful of areas.
Finding clues to a genetic link to treatment for BRCA1/2 breast cancer patients
Finding clues to a genetic link to treatment for BRCA1/2 breast cancer patients
New research could shape treatment strategies and clinical trial design for patients with BRCA1 and BRCA2-related breast cancers.
New spinal muscle atrophy treatment gains approval
Zolgensma is based on a delivery system discovered by a Penn gene therapy pioneer, marking a new milestone in treating the rare disease.
Penn Medicine releases free, ‘self-service’ AI tool for data analytics
Penn Medicine releases free, ‘self-service’ AI tool for data analytics
The Penn Medicine Institute for Biomedical Informatics has launched a free, open-source automated machine learning system for data analysis that is designed for anyone to use.
Eczema’s effect on children differs by race
Eczema’s effect on children differs by race
A Penn study finds racial disparities in school attendance due to common skin condition, with Hispanic and black children more likely to miss school due to eczema than white children.
A unique perspective on renewable energy
A unique perspective on renewable energy
In a conversation with Rachel Kyte, the U.N. special representative and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All discusses how this energy sector has changed in the past decade and what happens when political will doesn’t match the science.
Proton therapy side-effects found fewer than conventional radiation
Proton therapy side-effects found fewer than conventional radiation
In the largest study of its kind, Penn researchers compare overall adverse events of proton and photon therapies.
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
A study from Penn and CHOP found that when preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder hear their name, their neural patterns match those of their typically developing peers. The finding held regardless of whether the child’s mom or a stranger called the name.
Compound’s benefits aren’t tied to the body clock
Compound’s benefits aren’t tied to the body clock
New research from Penn Medicine overturns what was previously known about a compound associated with reductions in obesity and diabetes risk.
In the News
ABC News
Experts offer new recommendations for screening more women for breast cancer
Susan Domcheck of the Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center said that while new recommendations for the screening for BRCA1 and 2 gene mutations are “very valuable,” they don’t address many persistent problems. She stressed the need for additional research regarding BRCA mutations and risk factors, including the effect of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Treating gun violence in Philadelphia trauma bay
Jeremy Cannon, Jose Pascual, and Franklin Caldera of the Perelman School of Medicine and Rhonda Browning, Michael Atweh, and John Ehman of Penn Medicine were quoted in an article about the impact of gunshot wounds on hospital employees.
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PBS NewsHour
Does the placenta carry germs? What parents should know before they eat one
Frederic Bushman of Perelman School of Medicine commented on research that found that placenta encapsulation kits may be pre-contaminated by outside microbes. “It was really a very impressive bunch of detective work,” he said. “They were absolutely artistic at figuring out the sources of different kinds of contamination.”
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Scientific American
Scientists seek better guidelines for editing genes in human embryos
Bruce Levine of the Perelman School of Medicine called for a moratorium on scientific research that entails gene editing in human embryos. “There has not been a conversation with society at large—the lay public, government, religious groups, NGOs [nongovernmental organizations], stakeholders—because the science has been moving faster than [our own] conversations have been,” he said.
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The New York Times
The ethical mess of our healthcare system
President Amy Gutmann and PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno authored an op-ed about the U.S. health care system. “By revising and reinforcing the A.C.A.,” they wrote, “we can benefit all Americans without threatening any with the loss of hard-fought, lifesaving health coverage. Surely our fellow Americans with life-threatening diseases of all sorts are also worth saving.”
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