Tag: 2021

A new study is the first to report the beneficial use of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy before surgical removal of the bladder in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Researchers at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center led the study, reporting that the regimen reduced the invasiveness of the cancer in 56 percent...

CRISPR-based diagnostics are a new class of highly sensitive and specific assays with multiple applications in infectious disease diagnosis. SHERLOCK, or Specific High-Sensitivity Enzymatic Reporter UnLOCKing, is one such CRISPR-based diagnostic that combines recombinase polymerase pre-amplification, CRISPR-RNA base-pairing, and LwCas13a activity for nucleic acid detection. Researchers from the division of...

Jonathan Parr, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases, was interviewed for an article in The Scientist about the development of CRISPR diagnostics. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been striving to develop low-cost tests to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in patient samples. Now,...

Researchers in recent studies have suggested that hospitalized febrile infants aged ≤60 days may be safely discharged if bacterial cultures are negative after 24–36 hours of incubation. John R. Stephens, MD, professor of medicine and pediatrics in the division of hospital medicine, is first author of a paper published online in...

Carlton Moore, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, is first author of a retrospective observational study design of patients hospitalized in 2015 from four hospitals participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Using free-text clinical notes and reports from hospitalized patients, the study team...

UNC Cardiology Fellow Anthony Mazzella, MD, is first author of a paper published in Cardiac Failure Review. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has developed substantially since its inception. Improvements in valve design, valve deployment technologies, preprocedural imaging and increased operator experience have led to a gradual decline in length of hospitalization...

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC) have historically poor outcomes with conventional chemotherapy regimens. Davis Phillips, MD, internal medicine resident, and Josh Zeidner, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of hematology, published an article that reviews the data for existing therapeutic options for patients with AML-MRC...

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted face-to-face interactions in healthcare research, with many studies shifting to video-based data collection for qualitative research. Cristine Henage, Ed.D, is first author of a study that describes the interactivity achieved in a videoconferencing focus group of seven primary care providers discussing deprescribing opioids and benzodiazepines. Read...

Antimicrobials are extensively prescribed to nursing home residents with advanced dementia, often without evidence of infection or consideration of the goals of care. Laura Hanson, MD, MPH, professor of geriatric medicine and medical director of the UNC Palliative Care Program,  tested the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to improve the...

ASN Kidney News recently recognized the UNC Kidney Center’s new vascular access education materials. Guided by 105 stakeholders, the UNC Kidney Center developed mixed-media vascular access education materials (video and brochure) to support individuals preparing for hemodialysis. The materials ground health information in an authentic voice by acknowledging common patient concerns...

On Monday September 6, at sunset, Jewish communities in North Carolina and around the world will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. On Wednesday, September 15, Hispanic Heritage Month begins. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is one of Judaism’s holiest days. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world...

Jared Weiss, MD, associate professor in the division of oncology, led a recent discussion about a 59.year-old patient with RET-fusion-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during a Targeted Oncology Case-Based Roundtable event. Read a transcript of the discussion.