Rats exposed to nicotine during adolescence showed increased alcohol self-administration compared to those not exposed or exposed as adults. The study suggests that adolescent nicotine alters the brain's reward pathways, leading to a long-lasting risk of problem drinking later in life.
Researchers found that gut microbiome manipulation can significantly boost efficacy of adoptive T cell therapy in mice with cancer. Fecal transplants and antibiotic use increased anti-tumor response and remission rates, highlighting a crucial role for the gut microbiota in cancer treatment.
Wherry and Matthew Hellmann have received $1.25 million to test a combined approach of modifying epigenetic pathways and PD-1 pathway blockade therapy to improve exhausted T cell reinvigoration. This award recognizes their collaborative work on a fundamental goal of cancer researchers.
Researchers found that restoring SIRT1 reverses vascular aging, increasing capillaries and endurance by up to 80%. The study shows promise for preventing age-related diseases like cardiovascular disease and frailty.
A new study found that limiting first-year medical residents to 16-hour work shifts improves their work-life balance and satisfaction, but not their educational outcomes. The study of 63 internal medicine training programs nationwide showed no impact on interns' activity or test scores.
A study published in Epidemiology found that assaults spiked in cities hosting Donald Trump's presidential campaign rallies during the 2016 US election. The researchers suggested two possible explanations for their findings: increased violence at rally venues and social contagion through news reports and digital media.
The US spends significantly more on healthcare than European countries due to high-price-high-volume surgical procedures, administrative bloat, and excessive medical imaging. Policymakers should target these drivers of excess spending to reduce the gap.
A Penn study found that access to real-time CYP2C19 genotype results significantly influences prescriber behavior when prescribing antiplatelet drugs after a minimally invasive stent procedure. The use of prasugrel or ticagrelor was higher and clopidogrel lower in the genotyped group compared to the usual care group.
A study led by Amita Sehgal has found that the permeability of the blood brain barrier fluctuates over 24 hours, with a molecular clock regulating this rhythm. The researchers suggest that timing the delivery of medications targeted to the central nervous system could improve outcomes for patients.
A study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that larger hospitals with more procedures performed under bundled payments showed significant cost savings. Non-profit and major teaching hospitals were also more likely to succeed under this model, with improved care quality and lower costs per case.
Researchers profiled the epigenomic landscape of Alzheimer's disease brains, revealing a protective epigenetic link between aging and AD. The study found that certain normal aging changes in the epigenome may protect against AD, while dysregulated aging may induce disease-specific changes.
A new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that patients under 65 who are taken to a trauma center have a higher chance of being favorably discharged, while those over 65 have a lower risk of mortality. The study also highlights a serious care disparity for these severely injured patients.
Researchers have identified a lung stem cell that repairs the organ's gas exchange compartment and restores respiratory function after severe influenza and other respiratory ailments. The discovery provides new insights into lung regeneration and identifies novel genetic and epigenetic pathways important for lung regeneration.
A CRISPR-like gene editing technique has been shown to reduce blood triglyceride levels by up to 56 percent and cholesterol by up to 51 percent in a mouse model. This could potentially lead to new treatments for heart disease.
A study by Penn researchers reveals that the 'Icebreaker' protein TCF-1 plays a crucial role in targeting condensed chromatin and regulating genome sequences in T-cell development. This breakthrough has significant implications for developing new therapies using epigenetic drugs to alter T-cell fate.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that microglia, a type of brain immune cell, are essential for dealing with TDP-43-associated neuron death in ALS. Microglia proliferation and activation helped clear accumulated human TDP-43 from motor neurons, restoring muscle function and mobility.
A new study found that African Americans with atrial fibrillation are more likely to experience strokes, both before and after diagnosis. This increased risk highlights the importance of early detection and treatment to mitigate stroke burden.
Research reveals KMT2D plays critical role in skin cell turnover, leading to skin cancer. Disruption of this balance drives cancer and other disorders.
Researchers found ustekinumab, used to treat psoriasis, also improves aortic inflammation, a key marker of cardiovascular risk. The drug resulted in a 19% improvement in aortic inflammation and significant reductions in skin inflammation.
Penn researchers have identified a neurological syndrome in US government personnel serving in Havana, Cuba, who reported hearing unusual noises and experiencing memory and thinking dysfunction, vision and balance problems. Rehabilitation interventions appear to improve symptoms.
In a Penn-led trial, cabozantinib significantly shrunk tumors in 34 out of 35 patients with metastatic, radioactive iodine-resistant thyroid cancer. The median time on the study was 35 weeks, and 54% of patients achieved a partial response.
A multidisciplinary team of Penn researchers will investigate immune system response to cancers and develop new therapies for gynecologic cancers. The team will examine how patients vary in their responses to different anti-cancer therapies and identify key factors contributing to treatment success.
Researchers found that Rev-erb controls gene expression in mouse liver via interactions between on-and-off regions on the same chromosome. The study demonstrates how Rev-erb represses transcription by loosening chromosome loops, leading to circadian repression of transcription.
A new Penn Medicine study found that offering free Lyft rides to Medicaid patients did not decrease the rate of missed appointments. The study suggests that transportation barriers may be complex and require a multifaceted approach to address.
Researchers found patients and doctors disagree on surgical scarring evaluation 28% of the time, with patients focusing on depth and physicians on coloration and texture. This highlights the need for better assessment methods and improved preoperative counseling.
Researchers have developed a new, expedited course of treatment for combat-related PTSD that is as effective as traditional eight-week therapy. The study found that prolonged exposure (PE) therapy administered over two weeks resulted in significant symptom reduction and remission rates among active-duty military personnel.
According to a new Penn study, most Americans averaged an extra 7.5 hours of sleep each year between 2003 and 2016. The increase in sleep duration was mostly due to respondents turning in earlier at night and getting up later in the morning.
A new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that implementing a default option for lower opioid tablet quantities in electronic medical records increased compliance with prescribing guidelines, resulting in fewer prescriptions written for larger quantities.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a new therapeutic target for melanoma, G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), which shows promise in combination with anti-PD-1 inhibitors. Activation of GPER may explain why women who have been pregnant have better survival outcomes when facing deadly skin cancer.
Researchers analyzed immune cells of children with flu symptoms and found that previous exposures to viruses influence the immune response. The study identified changes in key immune pathways that may lead to better therapies for young patients with acute respiratory tract infections.
Researchers have identified a new way to reprogram cells by disassembling gene repression machinery, potentially leading to more efficient cell reprogramming. The discovery could have implications for treating diseases such as Lou Gehrig's disease and developing regenerative therapies.
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that 18% of multiple myeloma patients experiencing cardiovascular adverse events (CVAE) such as hypertension, heart failure, or arrhythmia. Higher doses of carfilzomib are associated with higher rates of CVAE, and the drug is linked to an elevated risk of CVAE com...
A study found that high out-of-pocket costs for oral cancer medications lead to prescription abandonment, even among those with insurance. Patients faced with costs over $2,000 were more likely to abandon their prescriptions, highlighting the need for strategies to improve patient access.
The Innovation Accelerator program has announced funding for four new projects aimed at addressing disparities in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. The projects focus on improving symptom management for heart failure patients, reimagining primary care doctor visits and payment models with telemedicine, and developing a multidis...
Researchers studied six healthy young male volunteers to collect physiological information as they went about their daily lives, measuring thousands of physiological indicators. The study found that most sensor readouts showed time-specific variability, including blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that black, Asian, and other non-Hispanic minorities are about 40% less likely to see a dermatologist for psoriasis than whites. Whites averaged double the number of doctor's appointments for psoriasis overall compared to non-Hispanic racial minorities.
The Kymriah treatment demonstrated long-lasting remissions in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients, with significant durability in responses seen across multiple trials. Durable remission rates were observed among 43% of DLBCL patients in the single-site pilot study and 73% at six months in the global trial.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center have shown encouraging results in treating multiple myeloma patients with CAR T cell therapy and an experimental monoclonal antibody. The studies targeted the B-Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) receptor, which is highly expressed in myeloma cells.
A phase II trial shows that combining olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, with durvalumab, an immunotherapy drug, achieves 80% disease control at 12 weeks. The treatment is well-tolerated and produces fewer serious side effects compared to chemotherapy.
A study found that 3-D mammography, although more expensive upfront, is a cost-effective screening method due to its higher true negative rates and lower false positive rates compared to digital mammography. The analysis of 46,483 screening episodes showed that DBT reduced cancer diagnosis-related costs in the following year.
Researchers at Penn Medicine found that individuals with schizophrenia's own perceptions of their experiences can influence treatment outcomes. Cognitive insight, measured by the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, is a significant predictor of neurocognition and not vice versa.
Researchers have successfully extracted and sequenced the DNA of a single mitochondrion, revealing vastly different sequences between individual mitochondria within a cell. This breakthrough may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases, such as those caused by accumulated mitochondrial mutations with age.
Researchers created an animal model that closely replicates the human form of Alzheimer's disease, including pathological tau protein and amyloid plaques. This breakthrough allows for testing of new therapies targeting both pathologies.
A study by Penn Medicine found that women with Parkinson's disease are less likely to have caregivers compared to men, despite experiencing more psychological strain from caregiving. The disparity is attributed to women living longer than their potential caregivers and being more likely to be caregivers themselves.
The number of doctors specializing in nursing home care has risen by over a third between 2012 and 2015, according to a new study. This trend suggests the emergence of a significant new specialty in medical practice, but its impact on patient outcomes and continuity of care remains uncertain.
Researchers found that abbreviated breast MRI (AB-MR) detected five additional cancers in asymptomatic women with dense breast tissue after a negative mammogram. AB-MR may be a better option than whole breast ultrasound for supplemental screening.
A new Penn Medicine study found that female axons are smaller and have fewer microtubules, making them more susceptible to concussion. Women athletes are more likely to experience concussions and worse outcomes than men, possibly due to these anatomical differences.
A recent study by a University of Pennsylvania School found that wild bonobos are susceptible to various Plasmodium malaria parasites, including a previously unknown species. This discovery informs our understanding of the life cycle and transmission of malaria in humans.
Researchers at Penn Medicine found that wiping out bad bacteria and re-introducing 'good' bacteria can reconfigure the gut microbiota, potentially treating Crohn's disease. The study used human and mouse studies to show that a single enzyme can regulate bacterial nitrogen metabolism and lead to dysbiosis.
Researchers found a strong connection between psoriasis severity and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Patients with more severe psoriasis are 64% more likely to develop diabetes than those without the condition.