Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 6 million globally, second only in prevalence to Alzheimer’s disease. There is currently no conclusive, pre-clinical diagnostic test for PD, diagnosis is usually made through observations by a physician of the decline in motor function. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common non-motor symptom reported in 60% of people with Parkinson’s. This condition …

Remember Unna Boots?

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

A venous leg ulcer (VLU), also known as a varicose ulcer, stasis ulcer, or phlebostatic ulcer, is the most common ulcer of the leg, accounting for about 70% of all ulcerations. The clinical features of VLUs include increased skin temperature of the lower extremities, edema, varicose veins, and skin changes, such as stasis eczema, skin sclerosis, and hyperpigmentation. In 1882, …

Type 2 Diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society published an article discussing the impact of Type 2 diabetes on Parkinson’s disease. Both of these diseases affect an aging population and although studies have explored the relationship between the two diseases, results have been conflicting. The objective of their study was to investigate Type 2 diabetes with Parkinson’s disease progression. At the …

Status of COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The effects of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from individuals who are asymptomatic to patients who develop severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, with potential involvement of almost all organs and systems. These acute symptoms have been well described since the first cohort studies that were published at the beginning of the pandemic. In a recent study of 478 patients who …

Antimicrobial Stewardship During Pandemic

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

In the spring of 2020, New York City quickly became a hotspot for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, putting a strain on local healthcare systems. Antimicrobial stewardship programs faced diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainties as well as healthcare resource challenges. With the lack of effective antivirals, antibiotic use in critically ill patients was difficult to avoid. Uncertainty drove antimicrobial …

Sing!

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Researchers have made new discoveries on the benefits of choir singing which may include positive effects on cognitive functioning, similar to playing a musical instrument! The cognitive benefits of playing an instrument are already fairly well known; such activity can improve cognitive flexibility, or the ability to regulate and switch focus between different thought processes. However, the cognitive benefits of …

Man wearing surgical mask

Use and Fit of Face Masks

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to more than 200 countries and regions within the last year, causing a once-in-a-century health crisis with more than 90 million cases and 1.9 million deaths worldwide. The use of face masks has been widely recommended to reduce the risk of infection with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological …

N95 Respirator Reprocessing Study

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that has a diameter of approximately 0.1 µm. It is transmitted by respiratory droplets and aerosols such that one of the most effective ways to prevent infection is to wear filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs). The commonly used FFRs are N95 respirators, devices that by design filter 95% or more of particles larger than 0.3 µm …

Cancer Screening During the Pandemic

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured, Health

Minimal data are available regarding the pandemic’s impact on cancer screening between diverse health care settings by various screening tests, and across demographic groups. The National Cancer Institute’s Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR) consortium compared breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer screening rates before and after the pandemic and developed recommendations including: Broader implementation of remote testing …

Artificial Intelligence – Alzheimer’s

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

New treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are desperately needed, but numerous clinical trials of investigational drugs have failed to generate promising options. A team at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) has developed an artificial intelligence-based method to screen currently available medications as possible treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. The method could represent a rapid and inexpensive way to …