School of Medicine in the news

New research in Michigan on preterm births, environmental toxins

By Mark Richardson Wayne State University has received an $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate how volatile organic compounds contribute to preterm births. The five-year grant will be used to fund the Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research, where scientists will study the link between volatile organic compounds and preterm births in the City of Detroit. One goal is to create new ways to pinpoint the sources of industrial pollutants, and develop ways to mitigate their negative health effects. Carol Miller, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-leader of the program at Wayne State University, said the ultimate goal is healthier moms and babies. "Very specifically, we're looking at how those contaminants impact women of childbearing age, and may be a factor influencing the high preterm birthrate in the Detroit area," Miller explained. Preterm births occur before 37 weeks, often leaving infants with breathing and feeding issues, developmental delays, or problems with seeing and hearing. According to the March of Dimes, among large American cities, Detroit has the highest rate of preterm births, at 14.6%. Volatile organic compounds are toxic vapors or gases, mostly generated by industrial sites. There are hundreds of contaminated sites in Detroit, and researchers theorize the effects of the compounds contribute to Detroit's high preterm birthrate. Dr. Melissa Runge-Morris, professor of oncology at and co-leader of the program, said preterm births most often occur in marginalized communities. "We are particularly plagued by environmental health disparities that affect and impact the most vulnerable members of our urban community," Runge-Morris emphasized.
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Meditation and mindfulness offer an abundance of health benefits and may be as effective as medication for treating certain conditions

Hilary A. Marusak, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Wayne State University, wrote an article for The Conversation about the benefits of meditation. She writes: “Many people look to diet trends or new exercise regimens – often with questionable benefit – to get a healthier start on the new year. But there is one strategy that’s been shown time and again to boost both mood and health: meditation. In late 2022, a high-profile study made a splash when it claimed that meditation may work as well as a common drug named Lexapro for the treatment of anxiety. Over the past couple of decades, similar evidence has emerged about mindfulness and meditation’s broad array of health benefits, for purposes ranging from stress and pain reduction to depression treatments to boosting brain health and helping to manage excessive inflammation and long COVID-19. Despite the mounting body of evidence showing the health benefits of meditation, it can be hard to weigh the science and to know how robust it is. I am a neuroscientist studying the effects of stress and trauma on brain development in children and adolescents. I also study how mindfulness, meditation and exercise can positively affect brain development and mental health in youth.”
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National Glaucoma Awareness Month calls for routine check-up

Did you know that the number one cause of blindness in African Americans is glaucoma? "If you have a family history, you're significantly increased risk. As well as in the African American population, you're at 6 times greater risk of developing it," says Dr. Mark Juzych, director of the Kresge Eye Institute. January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, and ophthalmologists are encouraging you, especially if you're over 65, to get your eyes checked. Juzych says glaucoma is the thief of sight because there are no symptoms of this disease. He says the only way of knowing if you have it is to get your eyes checked periodically. Juzych says the reason there's a whole month dedicated to bringing awareness given that there are no symptoms of it. "I think this (month) makes sure you bring it forward, so people understand that they really need to get checked out; there's no way for you to know otherwise," says Juzych.
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Underserved patients report positive experience with telehealth

By Lori Solomon Most patients seen at a primary care clinic for underserved minority patients report positive experiences with telemedicine, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in Cureus. Heather N. Abraham, M.D., from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, and colleagues surveyed patients to assess satisfaction with the medical and social aspects of the care they received via telemedicine at a university-affiliated primary care training clinic. The analysis included responses from 79 participants (ages 18 to 74 years). The researchers found that 3 percent of participants reported feeling "uncomfortable" sharing details about their health concerns via telemedicine. More than half of the patients (60 percent) felt some level of comfort with telemedicine after their first encounter, while 14 percent were still uncomfortable and 26 percent were neutral. Most participants (88 percent) said they were willing to participate in future telemedicine visits. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents "strongly agreed" that concerns related to their social determinants of health were addressed, and 59 percent "strongly agreed" that the resources provided by their physician were helpful. "Telemedicine was well received, with high satisfaction for addressing medical and social concerns," the authors write. "The results of this study support the use of telemedicine to assess social determinants of health in an underserved minoritized patient population and will help physicians optimize future interactions with patients through telemedicine."
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Wayne State receives $1.7 million NIH award to understand and address ototoxic side effects of anti-cancer drug

A Wayne State University researcher has received a $1.7 million, five-year award from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health for the study, “Targeting nitrative stress for treatment of cisplatin ototoxicity.” The research aims to address the critical gap that exists in understanding how nitrative stress caused by cisplatin treatment alters cochlear protein signaling causing apoptosis – or death of cells – in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. The study, led by Samson Jamesdaniel, Ph.D., assistant professor of family medicine and public health in Wayne State’s School of Medicine and in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, stated that cisplatin and its analogs are prescribed to 10 to 20% of all cancer patients, causing hearing loss in up to 80% treated with the drug. "Cisplatin is a first-generation platinum-based anti-neoplastic drug that is the backbone of combination therapies to treat cancers of the bladder, cervix, lung [non-small cell], head and neck [squamous cell], testicle, mesothelium and some other solid tumors,” said Jamesdaniel. “The ototoxicity caused by treatments using cisplatin can significantly affect the quality of life in cancer survivors and lead to devastating consequences in children, with impacts on speech and language development, education and social integration.”
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Quickly starting CPR is critical in cardiac arrests

By Darren Cunningham   Following the collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during Monday Night Football, the American Heart Association is encouraging people to understand the importance of CPR and the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack. Cardiologist Dr. Brian O'Neil is the chair of Wayne State University’s Department of Emergency Medicine and board president for the American Heart Association Detroit chapter. He said when someone does need CPR and receives CPR, their chances of being discharged from the hospital increases by three-fold.  O’Neil explained, “When you’re doing CPR, you’re maintaining blood flow to the heart itself because even though it’s not beating, it’s still using a lot of energy and if you don’t resupply that energy you get into something called the flatline or asystole." "That’s never what you want," he added. O’Neil said what happened Monday is uncommon but not unheard of. 
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More children accidentally eating cannabis edibles, poison data shows

The number of incidents in which children under age 6 accidentally ate edible cannabis products rose to 3,054 in 2021, up from 207 in 2017 - a 1,375 percent increase, according to a study of national poison control data in the journal Pediatrics. The total number of cases over the five years was 7,043. The cases are a small but quickly growing portion of the more than 850,000 annual poison exposures in this age group tracked by the National Poison Data System (NPDS). Several factors probably have contributed to the increase: Edible cannabis products come in child-appealing forms, such as colorful gummy candies or tasty desserts; are seldom contained in child-resistant packaging; and are increasingly available as more states legalize recreational marijuana. Clinical toxicologist Varun Vohra said the Michigan Poison & Drug Information Center at Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he is the director, has experienced its own "pretty healthy increase in pediatric marijuana exposures, especially kids under 5 and mostly with edibles." The numbers continue to rise: In 2021, the poison center had 211 cases of youngsters under 19 exposed to edibles (156 of them under age 5); through October of 2022, it already had 225 cases (164 under age 5). 
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Diabetes in kids and young people is projected to dramatically surge. Can it be prevented?

By Nada Hassanein Diabetes is expected to surge dramatically in young people over the next several decades in what experts say should be a wake-up call to prioritize health in America. Researchers estimate that in 2060, there could be as many as 220,000 people under age 20 with Type 2 diabetes, an increase of nearly 700%, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Thursday. Those with Type 1, the most common type in young people, could see a 65% increase. Overall, the findings estimate that more than half a million young people could have diabetes in 2060, if current rates continue and with population increase. In 2017, that number was 213,000, according to the study published in American Diabetes Association's Diabetes Care. The statistics are concerning and should stir urgency in addressing the health of American young people, such as prioritizing efforts to bring obesity rates down, experts say. Despite a known link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes, "it’s very unsettling that we have not made any progress to really decrease this risk of Type 2 diabetes in children," said Dr. Colleen Buggs-Saxton, a pediatric endocrinologist at Wayne State University.
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8 sleep resolutions for a restful New Year, according to sleep experts

When you think resolution, you naturally might think about diet or exercise goals. But you should add "get better sleep" to that list. People should get at least 7 hours of sleep at night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). "There's good evidence that getting less than that not only makes you feel sleepy and fatigued, but also, over time, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as poorer immune function," says James A Rowley, MD, professor of pulmonary and critical care and sleep medicine at Wayne State University and president-elect of AASM.
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Health officials issue carbon monoxide safety tips amid severe weather

By Sara Powers As a snowstorm is underway in many areas throughout the state, the Michigan Poison & Drug Information Center at the Wayne State University School of Medicine issued carbon monoxide warnings, encouraging Michiganders to safely prepare for the weather. If someone loses power, they should not run gas-powered generators indoors. "Carbon monoxide production results when a carbon-based fuel (gas, propane, natural gas, wood, charcoal) does not burn completely in a furnace, water heater, grill, generator or internal combustion engine. The resulting gas is colorless and odorless," according to Michigan Poison & Drug Information Center officials.

Well Woman Wednesdays employs Mason jars to bring health to Detroit women

The Wayne State University Office of Women’s Health used Mason jars to bring the importance of health to Detroit women during its most recent Well Woman Wednesdays event.  Well Woman Wednesdays is a health-focused mobile unit developed by the Office of Women’s Health in partnership with Wayne Health and other organizations. It aims to provide on-site health screenings as well as education to improve primary health preventive measures. Partners who cover all areas of women’s health educate and screen participants. Areas of women’s health that are usually covered include pregnancy and infant health, cardiovascular health, reproductive/sexual health, cancer prevention and mental health. The mobile unit brings health to Detroit area neighborhoods. Partners in the event included the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, the Center for Health and Community Impact, the Detroit Parenting Network, Wayne Health, Delta Dental and Make your Date. The women visited partner tables and gained important educational information, lab work, vaccines and health screenings. The participants also engaged in a chair yoga activity tailored to their age group. Attendees received Mason jars that contained motivational quotes about women’s health. They later filled the jars with a salad they arranged from a complimentary salad bar. Sonia Hassan, M.D., associate vice president and founder of the Office of Women’s Health and a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology for WSU, provided a motivational talk about health and wellbeing while encouraging the women to take advantage of the services provided.