Cannabis in Older Adults: A Podcast with Bree Johnston July 22, 2021 Cannabis use by older adults has increased substantially over the last decade, a trend that has paralleled the legalization of its use for medical and recreational purposes. C. Bree Johnson, MD, MPH, associate professor in the College of Medicine – Tucson, is interviewed. GeriPal
Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Narcolepsy July 22, 2021 Certain yoga positions can bring about relaxation, ease anxiety, and help with sleep issues. “I think yoga is helpful for anybody and everybody, because it really helps refashion our relationship with the body,” said Rubin Naiman, PhD, a sleep and dream specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the UArizona Center for Integrative Medicine. “There are 10 ways to do yoga, and not all are helpful. But when it’s done right, it’s almost like a friendly dialogue with our body.” WebMD
What Breakthrough Infections Mean for COVID Vaccines July 22, 2021 As coronavirus cases once again rise in the U.S., experts say breakthrough cases will also go up, but that doesn't mean the vaccines aren't working. "It may be that for the vast majority of vaccinated people who get infected, they just don't make enough virus to infect another person," said Janko Nikolich-Žugich, MD, PhD, an immunologist and professor of medicine at the College of Medicine – Tucson. NBC News
Danger in the Dust: Valley Fever Vaccine on Horizon July 22, 2021 Interview with Lisa Shubitz, DVM, a veterinarian and research scientist at the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence. KOLD-TV (Tucson, AZ)
AZ HEROES Research Study Awarded $15M to Continue, Expand Evaluation of COVID-19 Immunity, Vaccine Effectiveness July 21, 2021 A research study that started by analyzing COVID-19 immunity and vaccine effectiveness in frontline workers is broadening to include children. Read more Image
Residents Create Art to Reflect on Experiences of 2020 July 20, 2021 Presentations of artwork spoke to the challenges faced by young physicians while serving as frontline healthcare providers during the pandemic. Read more Image
Two Bike Skills Parks to Open July 20, 2021 The Oak Creek School Mountain Bike Skills Park is set to break ground in the spring and will include both a bike track and an integrated fitness track with stations for activities such as pull-ups, sit-ups and other fitness challenges. The skills park will be built “by students for students” — by kids enrolled in the Verde Academy for Career Technical Education. The project will cost just over $100,000 to complete at no cost to the school district, thanks to grants and donations from the UArizona Center for Rural Health and other non-profit and private donors. Camp Verde Journal
Menopausal Hormone Therapy May Reduce Odds for Dementia in Women July 20, 2021 Continuing coverage: Women on hormone replacement therapy for menopause go on to have a 58% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, a new study finds. "This is not the first study on the impact of hormone therapies on neurodegenerative disease reduction," said study senior author Roberta Diaz Brinton, director of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science. "But what is important about this study is that it advances the use of precision hormone therapies in the prevention of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's." U.S. News & World Report
Pediatricians’ Call to Mask All Students This Fall Sparks Conflict July 20, 2021 Ahead of this school year, the American Academy of Pediatrics published new guidance recommending students of all ages continue to use masks this fall, regardless of vaccination status. Ricardo Correa, MD, an endocrinologist and associate professor of medicine at the College of Medicine – Phoenix, was frustrated by the Arizona legislature's move to ban masks and COVID-19 testing in public schools. "That was not an evidence-based policy," he said. "If you don't know who is vaccinated and not vaccinated, then you cannot ban the mandate of having a mask in schools." WJLA-TV (Washington, DC)