Infants with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) develop respiratory insufficiency due to progressive respiratory muscle weakness caused by degeneration of alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord. This weakness results in ineffective airway clearance which is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants with SMA-1. (more…)
Wearables to Monitor BP
Developing a wearable fitness device to monitor Blood Pressure (BP) continuously 24/7 is important. The problem is that blood pressure measurements currently require the use of a cuff that temporarily stops blood flow. So a wearable BP watch using today’s technology would squeeze your wrists every few minutes, making it impracticable to use—not to mention annoying. (more…)
University Earns $16 Million
Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) www.wustl.edu has earned an estimated $16 million in royalties and licensing agreements related to technology development. Additionally, 108 foreign and U.S patents were issued to university researchers plus a number of startups were formed based on intellectual property developed at WUSTL. (more…)
Patient-Centered Approach
The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) www.ncmedsoc.org working in conjunction with the North Carolina Community Health Center Association (NCCHCA) www.ncchca.org, and Centene Corporation www.centene.com. They recently signed an agreement to collaborate on a patient-focused approach to Medicaid under the reform plan enacted in North Carolina. (more…)
EU’s WELCOME project
Reports estimate that by 2030 COPD will be the 4th largest cause of global mortality according to the World Health Organization. Also, many patients diagnosed with COPD may also suffer from closely-related chronic diseases including heart failure, diabetes, and depression. (more…)
Heartbeats as a Password for EHRs
Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York www.binghamton.edu are working on accessing EHRs using the patient’s own heartbeat as a password. Researchers are looking at patient’s EKGs or ECGs as a possible way to lock and unlock files. (more…)
Cedars-Sinai Receives $1.2 Million
Cedars-Sinai www.cedars-sinai-edu health investigators with grant funding for $1.2 million available from the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine www.ciapm.org will use the funds to expand the capabilities of precision medicine within the state. The funds will support six demonstration projects using remote monitoring to predict heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. (more…)