Author: sarah Jonas

Alcohol, adolescence, and anesthesia: identifying risk factors for alcohol use disorder

sarah JonasResearch Results

Alcohol misuse is common among adolescents, and increases the risk of developing a chronic alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the future. Adolescents respond differently to alcohol compared with adults — they tend to be less sensitive to some of the negative effects of drinking that help protect against excessive intake, but more sensitive to its rewarding and memory-impairing effects. This may contribute to the high rates of alcohol misuse in adolescence, as well as to an elevated risk of developing AUD. However, as not all adolescents who drink alcohol will develop an AUD, it is important to identify factors that may further increase propensity to abuse alcohol in this age-group. Researchers from the State University of New York at Binghamton are interested in the potential impact of having a general anaesthetic, in view of evidence that exposure to anesthesia in adolescence can cause behavioral alterations similar to those induced by alcohol. In a new study published in the journal Alcoh

New Computational Tools Identify Alternative Splicing Changes in Aggressive Cancers

sarah JonasResearch Results

A multi-institutional group of researchers led by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has linked a strong cancer driver gene to changes in proteins that regulate alternative splicing. The researchers created new computational tools and biological model systems for the study. This collaborative research, led by Yi Xing, PhD, at CHOP and Owen Witte, MD, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Wills Eye Hospital Announces Clinician-Scientist Jose S. Pulido, MD, MS, MBA, MPH to Hold Prestigious Endowed Chair

sarah JonasAnnouncement

Wills Eye Hospital is pleased to announce Jose S. Pulido, MD, MS, MBA, MPH, a world-renowned retina and ocular oncology clinician-scientist, has been named the Larry A. Donoso Endowed Chair and Director of the Henry and Corrine Bower Memorial Laboratories for Translational Medicine, the Vickie and Jack Farber Vision Research Center at Wills Eye.

Sudden Cardiac Death Often A Woman’s First Sign of Heart Disease

sarah JonasResearch Results

New research from the Center for Cardiac Arrest Prevention at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai shows that rates of sudden cardiac arrest are rising following decades of a downward trend. While this disturbing uptick was observed in both sexes, in women the increase was mostly among those whose sudden cardiac arrest was the first manifestation of heart disease. In men, the increase was mostly among those with known heart disease.

Reducing the epilepsy treatment gap in Pakistan: Start small, stay flexible, never give up

sarah JonasFeature

In retrospect, Pakistan’s effort to reduce the treatment gap can appear painstakingly planned, like the blueprints for a shopping complex or a neighborhood. But the secret of the country’s success is not rooted in elaborate planning. Nor did it rely on generous funding or government support.

Researchers Challenge New Guidelines on Aspirin in Primary Prevention

sarah JonasResearch Results

New guidelines recommend aspirin use in primary prevention for people ages 40 to 70 years old who are at higher risk of a first cardiovascular event, but not for those over 70. Yet, people over 70 are at higher risks of cardiovascular events than those under 70. As a result, health care providers are understandably confused about whether or not to prescribe aspirin for primary prevention of heart attacks or strokes, and if so, to whom.

Combination Drug Therapy For Childhood Brain Tumors Shows Promise In Laboratory Models

sarah JonasResearch Results

In experiments with human cells and mice, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report evidence that combining the experimental cancer medication TAK228 (also called sapanisertib) with an existing anti-cancer drug called trametinib may be more effective than either drug alone in decreasing the growth of pediatric low-grade gliomas. These cancers are the most common childhood brain cancer, accounting for up to one-third of all cases. Low grade pediatric gliomas arise in brain cells (glia) that support and nourish neurons, and current standard chemotherapies with decades-old drugs, while generally effective in lengthening life, often carry side effects or are not tolerated. Approximately 50% of children treated with traditional therapy have their tumors regrow, underscoring the need for better, targeted treatments.