PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - The tubular yellow artifact placed on display in the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health lobby Tuesday was an unfamiliar oddity to the many millennials walking by it, but 73-year-old Jael Greenleaf of Squirrel Hill knows it well. “I am claustrophobic to this day,” said Ms. Greenleaf, who spent months as a 5-year-old in one of the life-saving iron lungs used to assist the breathing of polio victims ...
UCSF NEWS - A study that involved combing through more than 50 years of data to assess the link between asthma and daycare and preschool attendance may provide welcome reassurance to working parents. Early child care does not boost children’s risk for developing this common respiratory disease, according to the study led by researchers including JUAN CELEDON, EPI and HUGEN professor.
WKSU-FM - No one knows what causes schizophrenia. It’s a devastating mental disorder that affects more than 3 million Americans. And while most people with schizophrenia can be treated, many don’t respond to medications. New research may find ways to help them. HUGEN’s VISHWAJIT NIMGAONKAR heads a team of researchers that’s looking at the genetic underpinnings of schizophrenia.
NEW YORK TIMES - The intuitive appeal of such a system is growing, and it’s getting a test in Maryland. However, capping hospital spending raises concerns about harming quality and access. Hospital executives and patient advocates might strongly resist spending constraints. A study by HPM's ERIC ROBERTS found inconsistent evidence that changes in hospital use in Maryland could be attributed to global budgeting.
THE WASHINGTON POST - Observers of both the Reagan administration and the current one say there are several reasons to think Pruitt may not share Gorsuch’s fate. Reagan appears to have made a calculation that he needed to tack to the political center on the environment later in his first term, and so replaced Gorsuch. But Trump seems more inclined to double down on deregulation, said EOH's BERNARD GOLDSTEIN.
GENOME - "The project [tries to] present that there's a blending of genetics and environmental factors responsible for most anything we care about," HUGEN'S LISA PARKER says of the fact that the project aims to see a broader picture of how genes and environment can interact.
In late March the school hosted a symposium examining Parran's mixed legacy from multiple perspectives. The panel discussion sought to compliment to the official review committee which is considering whether the name "Parran Hall" is consistent with the University's mission.
ASPPH FRIDAY LETTER - "In as near-real time as possible, this dashboard will give health officials, policymakers, law enforcement and the public a more complete, dynamic picture of the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania," Dean Burke said. "This should allow us to maximize limited resources to stem this epidemic, which is disproportionately impacting our state."
THE PITT NEWS – Now he's one of the most well-known and respected anti-violence experts in the area, but BCHS’ RICHARD GARLAND is was once just like the at-risk young people he seeks to help. He became involved in gangs while living in Philadelphia’s Frankford neighborhood, landing him in prison from 1979 to 1991. “I’ve been blessed,” he said. “All those years in the penitentiary preserved me a lot.”
TRIB LIVE - Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC were once again recognized as "Leaders in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality" by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Facilities awarded this title meet four criteria: LGBTQ patient-centered care; LGBTQ patient services and support; employee benefits and policies and LGBTQ patient and community engagement.
YALE DAILY NEWS – Researchers from Pitt and Yale found that neighborhood problems, from crime to economic distress, were positively associated with marijuana use. It was also found that social cohesion — the connectedness of the neighborhood — was positively associated with marijuana use. That finding was surprising to the researchers, as social cohesion is generally related to positive health behaviors, said BCHS’s ANDRE BROWN.
ECONOMIC TIMES – Researchers, including BCHS's KAREN MATTHEWS, examined data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study, a longitudinal study following cohorts of boys. Specifically, they examined data from the youngest cohort, most of whom were Black (56%) or White (41%). Analyses revealed that boys who spent more time with their friends in childhood and adolescence, had healthier blood pressure and body mass index at age 32.
Douglas J. Perkins, a former assistant professor in IDM (2001-2007), was invited back to present at the IDM Seminar Series on March 28. His presentation was on "Genomic Approaches for Uncovering the Pathogenesis of Severe Malarial Anemia in African Children."
JESSICA SALERNO (IDM '20) has been selected to participate in Red Tree Study's Academic Summer Program at the Institute of Public Health at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia. In this program, students learn from experts while helping to ensure the health of Colombian citizens as the country transitions towards peace.
SisterFriend and the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences hosted an event to encourage discussions about menstrual hygiene in the region and to raise awareness about it as a critical public health issue. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, the author of Periods Gone Public , gave a talk about her first-hand account in the fight for menstrual equity.
W. Paul Duprex, a distinguished molecular virologist and vaccine designer, will lead the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Vaccine Research (CVR). “I’m excited to be joining an institution with such a proud history of vaccine development and a top-notch group of scientists doing incredibly innovative infectious disease research,” said Duprex. He will also hold the Jonas Salk Chair for Vaccine Research at Pitt.
WITF - The state has partnered with Pitt Public Health and the Aetna Foundation to combat the crisis. Aetna Chief Medical Officer Harold Paz says the goal of the partnership is to make sense of data more quickly so the state can give the right resources to each community. Pitt's role is to help interpret that data, while Aetna is providing a one-million dollar grant.
PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - "This is an area where the approach of data-driven analytics and modeling expertise can make a significant difference," said Dean DONALD BURKE. "The ultimate goal is to allow officials to target the best resources to save as many lives as possible. A lot of data is there already but siloed, hidden, and unused."
Biostatistics student LI ZHU's paper, entitled “Bayesian indicator variable selection model to incorporate multi-layer overlapping group structure in multi-omits application ,” was recognized with one of the distinguished student paper awards at the spring meeting of the International Biometric Society's Eastern North American Region. One of the US' largest professional gatherings of biostatisticians, the 2018 ENAR Spring Meeting takes place th...
THE ROANOKE TIMES - A team including Virginia Commonwealth University Pitt Public Health researchers looked at 20 years of deaths for each of Virginia’s cities and counties and found that overall, in the white population, death rates decreased by 16 percent. However, death rates rose dramatically among young and middle-aged whites.