Media Coverage

Data-tracking necklace helps smokers kick habit

Wearable tech is heating up and now scientists hope to empower smokers with personalized data and a necklace designed to kick a daily habit. Inside the habits lab at Northwestern Medicine, scientists mimic smoking while pondering a burning question: What causes someone to successfully quit smoking? The answer, they believe, is data-driven by tracking real-life actions, not self-reported usage. Nabil Alshurafa, PhD, is an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We can tell how long the person placed the cigarette at the mouth,” Alshurafa said. “Things like our body, the cigarette, the lighter – all these things emit heat.” The Smokemon device is worn around the neck and sensors inside the device measure the thermal activity to determine the number of puffs, their duration and the time between each drag on the cigarettes. “All these things could potentially allow us to characterize that smoking behavior in a lot more fine detail,” Alshurafa said. That could mean an even deeper understanding of tobacco exposure and disease. At the same time, the mechanics allow users to navigate their smoking topography – in other words, what causes them to light up, particularly those who relapse.

The 1 Diet Change a Doctor Says Pregnant Women Should Know About to Avoid Impacts on Baby

A woman’s diet during pregnancy can have an impact on not only her health, but her baby’s future health. “What a mother, a pregnant woman, eats during her pregnancy can very much influence her offspring, her child,” said Dr. Linda Van Horn, professor emeritus of preventive medicine and nutrition at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. After studying the diets of pregnant women, Dr. Van Horn advocates for a plant-based diet during pregnancy that continues into early childhood and beyond to help protect your heart. “Let’s remember hypertension is the single biggest contributor to the global burden of disease,” Van Horn said. “High blood pressure, which often goes undetected and results in a much higher risk for stroke, is a problem that has nutritionally-related roots as well.” Further, “The dietary fiber, the vitamins, the minerals, the phytochemicals that are contributed by our plant-based diet, can’t be achieved anywhere else,” Van Horn added.

U.S. FDA staff flag no new safety concerns for OTC opioid overdose drug

Some experts were optimistic that a favorable vote from the committee could make an impact on the overdose crisis. “It’s not sufficient, but it is a piece of the puzzle we need to put in place,” said Maryann Mason, Associate Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

What causes childhood constipation – and does it ever go away? Here’s what parents need to know.

Parenthood comes with its own unique challenges, but having a child who can’t poop is up there. If you’ve ever struggled with the experience of having a child who is constipated, know this: You’re not alone. If constipation isn’t treated, it can lead to stomach pain, a decrease in appetite and even vomiting due to a buildup of stool. “In severe cases, a child may develop what appears to be diarrhea – large amounts of loose stool that is leaking around the impacted, harder stool,” said Dr. Michael Bauer, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. If your child his struggling with regular constipation, Bauer recommends talking to your pediatrician as “understanding the basis for the constipation is key to any treatment plan.”

Radioligand therapy, a ‘game-changer’ for cancer treatment, forces manufacturers to race against a ticking clock

Dr. Leo I. Gordon, a professor of cancer research at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said the hesitation often comes down to finances.

Producing radioligand therapy is expensive, and companies have to be willing to shoulder the costs and navigate a challenging supply chain in the hope that they can eventually make a profit.

“I’m not sure it’s a great message to send that everything is based on profit mode and all,” he said, “but it certainly does exist in medicine, oncology and the world.”

What to know about the symptoms and treatment of norovirus as it spreads across the US

Dr. Karen Krueger, an assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Northwestern University, told ABC News that often people don’t even to be tested for norovirus.

Florida won’t ask high school athletes about menstrual history after criticism

However, the chair-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine & Fitness told The Associated Press on Thursday that the earlier Florida proposal wasn’t consistent with its guidelines since the academy only recommends that a medical eligibility form be sent to the school, not personal medical information.

“And we recognize that is very problematic,” said Rebecca Carl, an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University. “These were not designed to be shared with the schools.”