Media Coverage

Here’s How Sleepless Nights Can Trigger Weight Gain

“We need mechanistic studies to understand the effects of sleep loss,” said lead researcher Dr. Jonathan Cedernaes, a research associate at Northwestern University, in Chicago. Cedernaes said studies have shown, for example, that sleep loss can change a range of markers in the blood — including blood sugar, hormone levels and various byproducts of metabolism.

Cancer isn’t a war or a battle, but maybe cancer research is

However, cancer for patients is not a war because cancer by its nature is a form of ourselves. Cancer forms from our own cells by hijacking normal pathways to make tumor cells that live longer and multiply faster. These cells don’t declare themselves with uniforms and banners, or form lines on the other side of a battlefield. They surreptitiously coexist with normal cells within us. They are us, just in a malignant form. War is an inadequate analogy for the internal complexity of cancer.

Experts Revise Recommendations on Cervical Cancer Screenings

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has revised its recommendations for cervical cancer screenings in some women. According to the new guidelines, women ages 30-65 who have a low risk of cervical cancer can rely on human papillomavirus (HPV) testing instead of, or in addition to, pap smears. Women in this age group should receive HPV testing every five years, a pap smear every three years, or a combination of the two tests every five years. The new recommendations hone in on examining the “best predictors” of whether someone has significant pre-cancer or cervical cancer, said Dr. Lauren Streicher, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

7 Amazing Real-World Examples of 3D Printing In 2018

From vets who have made a 3D-printed mask to help a dog recover from severe facial injuries to surgical guides, prosthetic limbs and models of body parts, the applications for 3D printing to impact medical strategies is vast. In an experiment conducted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, a mouse with 3D-printed ovaries gave birth to healthy pups which could bode well for human interventions after more research is done.

Most parents are against teen tattoos

Parents’ concerns about the potential for future regret are certainly justified, said Dr. Sarah Chamlin, a professor of pediatrics and dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “Most tattoos cannot be completely removed,” said Chamlin, who was not involved with the new survey. “It is a permanent decision in many cases.”

More U.S. stores likely sell cigarettes to minors than reported

The reason for raising the age to 21 is that it would “decrease rates of smoking among teens whose developing brains are particularly susceptible to addictive substances,” said Dr. Maria Rahmandar of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “And nicotine is a very powerful drug. Even with once a month use, teens can show signs of dependence.”

Older Adults: Here’s What Causes Hunchback – and How to Prevent It

While the postural issue used to be a problem largely reserved for older women, in recent decades, kyphosis has become a significant health problem for older men and women alike, says Dr. Alpesh Patel, director of orthopaedic spine surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “Twenty years ago, when I was in medical school, no one ever thought about it,” he says. Kyphosis now affects between 20 and 40 percent of adults, with both prevalence and severity increasing through the decades, according to a 2015 study published in the scientific journal Neurosurgery. The effects of kyphosis range from decreased mobility to pain and disability to impaired lung function and even increased mortality, according to the study’s findings.

Dementia patients may benefit from music therapy

The new findings highlight the need for more studies involving larger groups of patients, said Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour, an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University’s Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Bonakdarpour believes that music therapy can also be used to improve social interactions. “We are doing some interventions here to see if it can improve interactions between patients and caregivers,” he said. “We have preliminary data that suggests it helps.”

Northwestern Memorial ranked best hospital in Illinois

It’s lucky No. 7 for Northwestern Memorial Hospital: For the seventh year in a row, the Chicago hospital has been named the best in the state by U.S. News & World Report.

Northwestern was also the only Illinois hospital to crack the top 20 in the country, settling into the No. 13 spot for the second year in a row, according to the rankings, which were released at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.