A Major Milestone in Cystic Fibrosis Treatment
A Phase III clinical trial shows that elexacaftor added to ivacaftor and tezacaftor improves lung function and quality of life in cystic fibrosis patients with the most common genetic mutation, F508del. The triple therapy, known as Trikafta, could effectively treat 90 percent of people with cystic fibrosis.
Read the whole story at Pediatrics Nationwide: A Major Milestone in Cystic Fibrosis Treatment.
Vaping Guidelines
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration(FDA), state and local health departments, and public health andclinical partners are looking into a multistate outbreak of lung injuryassociated with the use of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), orvaping, products.
Now, a report by a working group of experts offers guidance to health care providers caring for patients with EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury).
See that they say in my latest research summary for Pediatrics Nationwide: Health Care Leaders Offer Interim Guidelines on Vaping, EVALI Care.
What Has the BRAIN Initiative Accomplished?
Now at the midpoint, the BRAIN Initiative’s impacts on neuroscience are beginning to come into fruition. As of January, 2018, the National Institutes of Health had awarded 368 BRAIN grants to more than 500 investigators, resulting in over 330 publications.
So, what have we learned from the BRAIN Initiative so far? What’s currently in development that could transform our understanding of the brain? And what will the next five years bring?
See my latest article at Neuroscience Quarterly: BRAIN-Inspired Science: A Mid-Initiative Report.
Skin-to-Skin Care for Post-Surgical Infants
Multiple barriers prevent routine skin-to-skin care for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), particularly for infants requiring surgical consultation. Now, a quality improvement project at Nationwide Children's Hospital shows that routine skin-to-skin care is possible for infants in the NICU who have had surgery.
Read the whole story: Skin-to-Skin Care Safe for Infants After Surgery.
Robotic Pets: A Senior's Best Friend?
We are in the midst of a demographic phenomenon known as the graying of society. In more affluent countries, the population is aging. This demographic shift, along with a shortage of health care personnel, has led to increasing demand for new technologies that can assist the elderly in their daily lives. One result is a growing menagerie of robotic pets designed to address the companionship needs of older adults. Who are robotic pets for and what can they do?
Read my latest story for IEEE Pulse magazine: Robotic Pets: A Senior's Best Friend?