10.21
Health Sciences
The state of Alzheimer’s research at Penn
The state of Alzheimer’s research at Penn
The Penn Memory Center’s Sanjeev Vaishnavi discusses the progress and setbacks made in Alzheimer’s research in the past five years.
A conversation about second-generation immigrants and mortality
A conversation about second-generation immigrants and mortality
In a Q&A, Penn demographer Michel Guillot discusses recent work showing that male children of immigrants from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia have a mortality rate nearly double that of the native population in France.
Why do Achilles ruptures take so long to heal?
Why do Achilles ruptures take so long to heal?
Kathryn O’Connor, an assistant professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, gives the ins and outs of Achilles tears.
Managing asthma amid the summer heat and dips in air quality
Managing asthma amid the summer heat and dips in air quality
For people with asthma, effective treatment plans can help patients better manage their condition and prevent complications. However, a variety of factors, like increased exposure to poor air quality, can make life more challenging.
Collegiate affirmative action bans linked to smoking among minority students
Collegiate affirmative action bans linked to smoking among minority students
A Penn Medicine study shows unanticipated adverse effects of affirmative action bans on health behaviors in minority high school students.
Facebook posts better at predicting diabetes, mental health than demographic info
Facebook posts better at predicting diabetes, mental health than demographic info
Analyzing language shows that identifying certain groups of words significantly improves upon predicting some medical conditions in patients.
What influences how parents and their gay adolescent sons talk about sexual health at home?
What influences how parents and their gay adolescent sons talk about sexual health at home?
Research from Penn found that even when parent-child conversations avoid heteronormative stereotypes, outside factors like mass media and religion—those beyond the parents’ control—can reinforce them.
Elderly patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma benefit from targeted therapies
Elderly patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma benefit from targeted therapies
A Penn study of Medicare patients who are often underrepresented in medical trials finds overall survival benefits from treatment with targeted therapies.
Chemo is a go for treating equine lymphoma
Chemo is a go for treating equine lymphoma
New Bolton Center’s Daniela Luethy’s research on 15 horses with lymphoma concluded that chemotherapy had encouraging results. Her study poses opportunities for further research with more case control.
A new drug target for chemically induced Parkinson’s disease
A new drug target for chemically induced Parkinson’s disease
An enzyme that modifies chemicals formed in the body by alcohol, tobacco, and certain foods may be a new target for treating Parkinson’s disease. The altered compounds may play a role in triggering the onset or advancing the progression of the neurodegenerative condition.
In the News
Forbes
Eye drops proven to reverse vision loss in clinical trial
Eve Higginbotham of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about some of the shortcomings of eye drops that treat age-related farsightedness. “There’s a question of whether or not people will actually use these drops twice a day in order to see a little better up close,” she said. “I am sure there may be a small segment of the population that may choose to put drops in twice a day, but for the vast majority of individuals, using drops twice a day may be a challenge.”
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Time
‘I burned all the time.’ Selma Blair discusses her MS diagnosis and hope for effective treatments for chronic diseases
Carl June of the Perelman School of Medicine was noted for his contributions to the development of CAR T cell therapy. “The approaches we’ve learned in cancer may well apply to dementia,” he said. “I think that will be the next wave of research.”
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KYW Newsradio (Philadelphia)
Using a patient portal could help you work harder for your health
Health System CEO Kevin Mahoney spoke about the health benefits of online patient portals. “An engaged patient is more likely to follow guidelines of when you're supposed to get your preventative health care screenings,” he said.
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Forbes
FDA: Deliveries of scarce childhood cancer drug due to resume later in October, but shortages may continue for months
Peter Adamson of the Perelman School of Medicine authored a letter proposing a “call to action” to make sure childhood-cancer drug shortages don’t reoccur.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn’s genital herpes vaccine is a winner in animals. Next up: Testing on humans
Harvey Friedman of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about his efforts to develop an “urgently needed” genital herpes vaccine. “What we have is close to perfect in animals. No one else has done that,” he said. “The big unknown is whether it will work in humans.”
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