12.1
Health Sciences
Could NFL players’ performance after a concussion mask the dangers?
Could NFL players’ performance after a concussion mask the dangers?
A new study shows NFL players return to the field quickly and with no dip in their stats, but this may come at a cost.
Gutmann, Moreno op-ed details ‘ethical mess’ of health care system
Gutmann, Moreno op-ed details ‘ethical mess’ of health care system
“Surely our fellow Americans with life-threatening diseases of all sorts are also worth saving,” they write.
A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world
A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world
The portable EEG created by PIK Professor Michael Platt and postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan has potential applications from health care to sports performance.
Balance of ‘stop’ and ‘go’ signaling could be key to cancer immunotherapy
Balance of ‘stop’ and ‘go’ signaling could be key to cancer immunotherapy
A Penn study shows potential of the interferon pathway as a biomarker to help predict which patients are likely to respond to immunotherapies.
Dangers and protections of rising temps for people on common medicines
Dangers and protections of rising temps for people on common medicines
We know that as temperatures rise, so do many health risks: not just for heat stroke and dehydration but also for heart disease, respiratory diseases, and deaths overall. Three studies explore the impact that rising temperatures have on people who take common medications.
Five insights into how the brain works
Five insights into how the brain works
As the Center for Neuroscience & Society celebrates 10 years, founding director Martha Farah reflects on the array of research from its faculty, on subjects from brain games to aggression.
Looking into the immune system to better fight disease
Looking into the immune system to better fight disease
A rare, short-lived population of immune cells in the bloodstream may serve as ‘periscopes’ to monitor immune status via lymph nodes deep inside the body, researchers say.
The brain’s amyloid buildup is not a powerful indicator of Alzheimer’s disease
The brain’s amyloid buildup is not a powerful indicator of Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers find fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, which measures the brain’s glucose consumption as a marker of neural activity, is a better indicator of cognitive performance when compared to PET scans that detect amyloid proteins.
Improving outcomes for sepsis patients
Improving outcomes for sepsis patients
More than 1 million sepsis survivors are discharged annually from acute care hospitals in the United States. Although the majority of these patients receive post-acute care services, with more than a third coming to home health care, sepsis survivors account for a majority of readmissions nationwide.
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
In a Q&A, criminologist Richard Berk discusses why definitions matter and what role social media and mental illness play in this context.
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
Dental school grads find it hard to beat back student debt
Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine said dental school tuition has increased because dentistry, in general, has gotten more expensive. “You used to get the X-rays in your mouth taken with film, put inside your mouth. Today, we put sensors inside the mouth, capture it directly into the computer,” he said. “Film used to cost a few dollars a pack. That sensor is a $7,000 sensor.”
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U.S. News & World Report
Antarctic study shows isolation, monotony may change the human brain
Alexander Stahn of the Perelman School of Medicine led a study that found a volume decrease in the hippocampi of explorers who spent 14 months at a research station in Antarctica. “It was an average of about 7%, which is really big in terms of brain changes,” he said.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Why mandated nurse-to-patient ratios have become one of the most controversial ideas in health care
Linda Aiken of the School of Nursing said that mandated nurse-to-patient ratios result in fewer complications, infections, and injuries, as well as lower mortality rates.
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The Washington Post
Do NAD-boosting supplements fight aging? Not according to current research
Joseph Baur of the Perelman School of Medicine said that while supplements claiming to increase NAD levels and improve longevity are unlikely to do harm, they’re ineffective when it comes to actually extending human life. “There have been several short-term clinical trials that have been mostly disappointing,” he said.
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Men’s Health
Wait, is it safe to take cold medicine when you’re breastfeeding?
Anna Graseck of the Perelman School of Medicine said, “Over-the-counter cold medicines are generally safe for breast feeding moms,” but warned that anything containing the decongestants pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine can impact the milk supply.
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