Health Sciences In The Media

Women with a history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to experience somatic and urogenital symptoms post menopause, but they were no more likely to experience severe hot flashes than were other women with similar characteristics, according to research presented Sept. 24 at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society. "Given that PCOS prevalence is about 6%-10%, I feel this association should be further studied to improve our counseling and treatment for this PCOS population," said Rachael B. Smith, DO, clinical assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the College of Medicine – Phoenix. "The take-home message for physicians is improved patient-tailored counseling that takes into account patients' prior medical history of PCOS." Dr. Smith was not involved in the research.

People who are eligible for a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine are only supposed to get it at least six months after receiving their second dose. So that means not everyone is going to be needing the booster at the same time. Arizona COVID-19 adviser Richard Carmona, MD, MPH, distinguished professor of public health at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, recently received his third Pfizer doses. “I went and got a booster because of age, because of the fact that my immunity was dropping," Carmona said Monday during a University of Arizona briefing. "Why take a chance? There’s no downside with getting a booster and we know that it starts to drop off after a little while, six, eight months, in that ballpark."

John Galgiani, MD, the director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona, has long recognized the importance of researching the pathogen. Researchers at the Center study Valley fever and help educate medical professionals about the disease. But he said it's been difficult at times to generate enough funding or interest in its dangers. "But the data don't lie. I didn't make these numbers up," he said.

Exercise training could be a useful supplemental treatment for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, a small study finds. The findings, reported this week at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions virtual conference, are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. The research makes a good case as to why exercise should be added to the treatment strategy for sleep apnea, said Michael Grandner, PhD, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program and associate professor of psychiatry at the College of Medicine – Tucson. Dr. Grandner was not involved in the study.

Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and a member of Prevention's Medical Advisory Board, writes about the vagus nerve, a powerful tool against headaches, depression, and more.

An article examining the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona cites data from University of Arizona public health researcher Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health policy at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, who notes that "non-pharmacologic interventions like mask mandates, limited gathering sizes, and targeted business mitigations will help speed resolution and ensure this wave does not reignite."

By the CDC's estimation, more than a third of American adults aren't getting the recommended seven hours of sleep a night. This could be happening for one of two reasons: Either that person has a major sleep disorder that should be attended to by a specialized health care practitioner, or they have bad sleep habits that are keeping the supplements from doing their job. Michael Grandner, PhD, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the College of Medicine – Tucson, says although supplements can be effective, they can't undo poor sleep hygiene.

Michael D.L. Johnson, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of immunobiolgy at the College of Medicine – Tucson, talks about his research and how certain metals can be used to kill bacteria.

Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a professor and immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, says a booster shot may offer a little extra protection against getting sick and having to stay to recover, but it's still unknown how long this extra protection will last. "The question sort of becomes, when do we need a booster versus when do we want one. I think that's the distinction we need to have right now," Bhattacharya says.

Arizona is one of a handful of Republican-led states that have issued executive orders prohibiting school districts from mandating masks. By the end of August, children accounted for a quarter of the state's coronavirus cases, according to data from the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. In Maricopa County alone, 1 in every 6 infections occurred in children under 12.