Listen—Ilana Cass, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology discusses the increasing closures of labor and delivery units at rural hospitals, and measures to expand the reach of existing resources.  “We really have to take a beat and think, how can we expand the workforce of individuals who want to provide obstetrics care in rural locations so we don’t find ourselves looking at this map with more X’s than circles of open units,” Cass said. Starts around 21:55.

Listen to Podcast—Philip Goodney, a professor of surgery, is highlighted in a podcast about improving access to care for patients with peripheral arterial disease. Vascular surgeon Devin Zarkowsky credits Goodney’s research mapping underserved areas with high amputation rates for shaping his decision to establish a practice in an underserved part of San Diego County.

Read article—Kathleen Clem, a professor of emergency medicine, is featured in a story about a dramatic increase in cases of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome caused by frequent use of more potent forms of cannabis. “This is not your parents’ weed,” Clem said. “It’s been really amped up and much stronger in potency, and you don’t necessarily know what you’re getting.”

Read Article—Cites research by Elijah Stommel, a professor of neurology, finding that chronic exposure to cyanobacterial blooms is associated with an increased risk of getting ALS.

Read article—Marcus Shaker, a professor of pediatrics and medicine, comments on new research finding no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between men and women treated for anaphylactic shock. Shaker said the findings reinforce the importance of early recognition of anaphylaxis and emphasized that epinephrine remains the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions.

Read article—Andrew J. Smith, an assistant professor of psychiatry, discusses the challenges physicians face when setting professional boundaries. The article examines how medical training and workplace culture can discourage doctors from prioritizing their own wellbeing, contributing to burnout and stress.

Read article—Lesley Jarvis, an associate professor of radiation oncology and applied sciences, and Brian Pogue, a professor of biomedical engineering, appear in an article about the human eye’s ability to detect high-energy particles. Jarvis and Pogue worked on a camera for detecting radiation that produced visible light in a patient’s eye during testing, which Jarvis later confirmed was produced by charged particles. “And all of a sudden, right out of her pupil we saw blue light glowing out of her eye,” Jarvis said.

Read article—Nicholas Jacobson, an associate professor of biomedical data science and psychiatry, discusses state efforts to restrict AI-powered mental health chatbots. Jacobson argued that lawmakers are targeting clinically tested tools such as Therabot while leaving general-purpose chatbots largely unregulated, saying “60 million Americans with mental illness receive no treatment.” (Similar coverage in Tennessee Journal.)

Read article—Comments by Alan Budney, a professor of psychiatry and biomedical data science, are featured in an article about the growing use of therapeutic cannabis among older adults. Budney urges caution, citing concerns about falls, medication interactions and cognitive effects. “The risks in my mind outweigh the potential benefits, because the benefits are all mostly potential, and the risks are pretty well known,” Budney said.

Read article—Features Daniel Lucey, a clinical professor of medicine, discussing a rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus. “The virus already has a head start, and now we’re playing catch up,” said Lucey.