The ever-funny Andy Borowitz has written in The New Yorker about a previously unreported challenge in the fight against Ebola: It might make Americans believe …
Month: October 2014
Stanford expert responds to questions about brain repair and the future of neuroscience
One cool thing about being at Stanford is access to really, really smart people. Case in point, I get to work with William Newsome, PhD, …
Fewer transfusions means better patient outcomes, lower mortality
Blood transfusion has been cited by the American Medical Association as one of the top five most overused therapies in the United States. Moreover, studies …
Tiny size, big impact: Ultrasound powers miniature medical implant
For years, scientists have been trying to create implantable electronic devices, but challenges related to powering such technologies has limited their success. Enter a prototype developed by Stanford …
The politics of destruction: Short-lived RNA helps stem cells turn on a dime
Many stem cells live a life of monotony, biding their time until they’re needed to repair tissue damage or propel the growth of a developing …
Making sense out of genetic gobbledygook with a Stanford biostatistician
Here's this week's Biomed Bites, a weekly feature that highlights some of Stanford's most innovative research and introduces readers to groundbreaking researchers in a variety …
Walking and aging: A historical perspective
The evidence that exercise helps stave off mental decline in elderly people has been mounting for several years now, but an article by Wayne Curtis in …
Drug helps old brains learn new tricks, and heal
Our brains go through remarkably flexible periods in childhood when they can form new connections in a flash and retain information at a rate that …
The squeeze: Compression during mammography important for accurate breast cancer detection
After nearly 30 years of reluctantly enduring the pain of mammography, I finally understand why I shouldn't complain. In fact, I think I should embrace …
When the wheels on the bus (don't) go round: Driving the spread of local health programs
SMS (“Stanford Medical School”) Unplugged is a forum for students to chronicle their experiences in medical school. The student-penned entries appear on Scope once a …
Ivy and Bean help encourage kids to get vaccinated
Last week, I took my two little boys to get their shots, including the MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Although, as …
Examining how mental stress on the heart affects men and women differently
Past research has shown that stress, anger and depression can increase a person's risk for stroke and heart attacks. Now new findings published in the Journal of …
How to keep safe while operating on Ebola patients
Amid the Ebola crisis, two U.S. surgeons with a combined 30 years of working in developing countries have stepped forward to help disseminate well-defined protocols …
Healing hands: My experience being treated for bladder cancer
We've partnered with Inspire, a company that builds and manages online support communities for patients and caregivers, to launch a patient-focused series here on Scope. …
How sleep acts as a cleaning system for the brain
Here's one more reason why getting a good night's sleep is critical to your health. As neuroscientist Jeff Iliff, PhD, explains in this just released …
The end of antibiotics? Researchers warn of critical shortages
Bacteria spark infection. Antibiotic kills most bacteria. Remaining bacteria evolve resistance. Second antibiotic wipes out all bacteria. Repeat. Repeat until, that is, there are no …