Tiny Robots Could Someday Brush, Floss Your Teeth for You

Aug. 23, 2022 – Your twice-daily brushing and flossing routine could someday be automated using tiny microrobots that scrub your teeth for a customized clean, thanks to new research from the University of Pennsylvania. Scientists used magnetic fields to assemble nanoparticles into tiny, brush-like robotic structures that precisely remove biofilms, a network of germs and…

The Truth About Children’s Resilience

To Teri DiCesare, grandmother of two and director of Philadelphia’s House at Pooh Corner daycare center for nearly a half-century, kids’ resilience looks a lot like her daily noontime scene: toddlers and preschoolers — masks off, lunches out — chattering. Slurping from juice boxes. Being silly. “Resilience means adaptability,” says DiCesare. “It means that children…

Hospitals Train to Curb Maternal Mortality

Dying during pregnancy, delivery, or soon after having a baby is more common in the U.S. than in any industrialized nation. It’s called “maternal mortality,” and it’s nearly three times more likely for Black women than white women. To help save lives, a growing number of U.S. hospitals are using obstetric simulation centers where medical teams…

What Parents Need to Know About Monkeypox and School This Fall

Aug. 18, 2022 – Should parents of young schoolchildren be worried about monkeypox? So far, at least nine children in the U.S. have tested positive for monkeypox. As of now, the American Academy of Pediatrics says the risk of children becoming infected with the virus is low. Still,“children and adolescents are more likely to be exposed…

Universities Plan for New Health Threat

Nancy Santos Gainer, spokeswoman, West Chester University. William Schaffner, MD, professor of infectious diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville. Amesh Adalja, MD, infectious disease specialist, senior scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Baltimore. Leana Wen, MD, emergency doctor, public health policy professor, George Washington University, Washington, DC. Shilpa Bakre, spokesperson, University of Texas….

Is It COVID or Long COVID? Your Organs May Know

American College of Cardiology: “ACC Issues Clinical Guidance on Cardiovascular Consequences of COVID-19.” British Medical Journal: “Risks of Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism, and Bleeding After Covid-19: Nationwide Self-Controlled Cases Series and Matched Cohort Study,” “Study Finds Risk of Serious Blood Clots up to Six Months After COVID-19.” British Society for Immunology: “Long-Term Immunological Health…

An NHL Legend, A Doctor & a Dog Help Addicts Find Hope

Aug. 19, 2022 — Among hockey fans, Kevin Stevens is a legend. A member of several teams, including the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers, the now 57-year-old was especially known for being a Pittsburgh Penguin during the team’s Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. But the Bostonian is also a recovering addict…

Brain-Eating Amoeba May Have Caused Nebraska Child’s Death

By Cara Murez and Robin Foster HealthDay ReportersHealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Aug. 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The death of a child in Nebraska was likely caused by an infection with a “brain-eating amoeba” that occurred after the child swam in a local river, state health officials announced this week. In a news release, officials said…

Wind Instruments Don’t Spew COVID More Than Speech: Study

Aug. 19, 2022 – Good news for music lovers and musicians, too: Wind instruments don’t appear to project COVID-19 particles more than talking does, according to a new study. New research from the University of Pennsylvania, along with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, found that wind instruments don’t spread COVID-19 particles any farther or faster…

Justice for Sexual Assault Survivors: New Law Offers Healing

Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault.   Marissa Hoechstetter knew things weren’t quite right. First, there was the question about orgasms posed by Robert Hadden, the older male doctor who became her OB/GYN. Then, in a follow-up appointment early on in her pregnancy, his “overly-handsy” breast exam. It was Hoechstetter’s first pregnancy….