It has been 28 years since the first case reports of individuals with a newly recognized immunodeficiency disorder called AIDS were described. Soon thereafter the viral cause of AIDS, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), was discovered. This discovery led to the development of tests that could quickly and accurately diagnose HIV infection. We then began to watch as the epidemic spread not only in the United States and other developed nations, but to a much greater extent in the developing world, particularly on the African continent where the combination of a deadly infection coupled with an often non-existent health care infrastructure resulted in untold misery and hardship, says the newest edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders marked by impaired social interactions, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and communication impairment, which persist throughout a person's lifetime. The ASD prevalence rate--the number of individuals diagnosed with autism--has been steadily increasing over time. A new report from the U.S. Department of Health's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), based on a phone survey of over 78,000 families, set the prevalence rate at nearly one in 91 children. This is an increase from the prior statistic of one in 150 children reported in 2007 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
In a letter to the University community, Penn State President Graham Spanier explains the current budget situation at Penn State, the difficult decisions being made related to costs and the reasons behind recent actions taken by the administration and Board of Trustees.
Each of five major child injury hazards -- motor vehicles, drowning, burns, falls and poison -- can be found in the back yard during the summer. Riding mowers, inflatable pools, home playground equipment and even natural vegetation and sunlight require a few simple precautions. All of the safety guidelines you apply to sports, playgrounds and swimming apply to those activities in your own back yard, says this week's edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
If every on-campus student at University Park reduced his or her time in the shower by just five minutes, Penn State would save 100,000 gallons of water each school year. That is enough to fill five swimming pools and lower the University's carbon footprint by 18,980 pounds every year.
Researchers at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the University of Pennsylvania are studying the effects of weight loss on the ability to conceive in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and have been awarded a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. This study is the first to test the effects of preconception weight loss in a controlled clinical research study, according to the latest edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. While weight loss is generally consistent with an improvement in health quality, it is unknown whether weight loss just prior to pregnancy improves outcomes, as stored energy in fat may be helpful for a pregnancy. This study will attempt to answer the bigger question of whether fat is a friend or foe to pregnancy in these women.
The past two weekends were particularly busy ones for Penn State campuses statewide, as the University held nearly three dozen commencement ceremonies, including roughly a dozen on the University Park campus. Penn State Altoona and the Dickinson School of Law got things started, as both held commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9. The rest of the campuses and Penn College held ceremonies May 15, 16 or 17. In all, the University awarded approximately 10,875 diplomas to students University-wide who are completing 588 associate, 8,627 baccalaureate, 1,083 master's, 131 medical, 212 law and 234 doctoral degrees. While not all Penn state campuses or colleges were able to provide photos of their commencement ceremonies, quite a few have sent them to Penn State Live. In addition, Penn State Public Information photographer Andy Colwell made it to several commencement ceremonies at University Park.
People are living longer compared to 50 years ago. In the days when women did not expect to live beyond 65, osteoporosis was not much of a concern. As a larger portion of the population lives to 80, 90 and beyond, strong bones are essential. Osteoporosis results when bones lose enough calcium to increase the risk of fracture, says this week's edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Having just celebrated Mother's Day, it's a good time for all of us to reflect on the women we love. Although you might not think of this first, did you or that special woman in your life have her mammogram in the past year? If she is at least 40 years old, it's time, according to the latest edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Deep Venous Thrombosis means you develop a clot in one of the deep veins, usually in the leg or pelvis. In the hospital you're more likely to develop a clot for two reasons. First, you do not move around as much as you do at home. This makes your blood tend to stagnate in your veins, which can lead to clots. Second, your blood is thicker when you're sick due to your body's natural immune response. Your risk of developing a DVT in the hospital without any preventative treatment ranges up to 20 percent for a general medical patient and up to 80 percent for a major trauma patient, according to this week's edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.