Health & Behavior

Research

The Latest

Hugs From Mom and Dad, Without the Wires

Anyone who has seen a newborn in a hospital NICU knows the image is shocking. Wires and electrodes designed to monitor vital signals such as heart rate, brain signals and blood oxygen levels are taped over the frail newborn’s head, face and body. Skin-to-skin contact between mom and baby that doctors say all newborns need to develop a sense of security and bonding becomes challenging, if not impossible. Parents seeing their precious baby this way may also feel terrified and helpless.

New Surgical Technique May Reverse Paralysis, Restore Use of Hand

Justin M. Brown, MD, reconstructive neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health System, is one of only a few specialists in the world who have pioneered a novel technique to restore hand function in patients with spinal cord injury. In a delicate four-hour procedure, Brown splices together tiny nerve endings, only one millimeter in width, to help restore hand mobility.

Clarity Begins at Exome

In the June 13 issue of Science Translational Medicine, an international team led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reports that the new technology of exome sequencing is not only a promising method for identifying disease-causing genes, but may also improve diagnoses and guide individual patient care.

UC San Diego Health System Expert Gives Tips on Avoiding Wave of Surfing Injuries

For many beach-goers summertime means shredding waves. It is estimated that more than 17 million Americans are active surfers, including one million in California alone. Even though the benefits for the body and mind are unquestionable, there are inherent health risks associated with the sport.

Social Scientist Wins Mexico’s Highest Honor for Foreigners

Wayne Cornelius first fell in love with Mexico in 1962 as a small-town Pennsylvania high schooler. It was his first trip abroad (first time west of the Mississippi, actually), and he “got hooked,” he says, on the country, its people, history, food and music. Now, the social scientist who founded UC San Diego’s Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, as well as Center for U.S-Mexican Studies, has been honored with Mexico’s highest award for foreigners: the Order of the Aztec Eagle.

Statins Shown to Cause Fatigue

In a study of more than 1,000 adults, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are more likely than non-users to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both. The researchers suggest that these findings should be taken into account by doctors when weighing risk versus benefit in prescribing statins.