The Arizona Biomedical Research Commission awarded a $750,000 grant to researchers at University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine for their innovative, plant-based model system — a “lung” growing on a leaf — to study pulmonary diseases that range from fibrosis to inflammation and infection. The three-year grant was given to Kenneth…
This is a difficult column to write because I have always enjoyed doing things for other people. However, since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in April 2016, I have had to learn the hard way that sometimes I need to put myself first. Lately, I am…
A new, wireless home monitoring program designed to collect data on lung function from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in real time showed good results and was approved by patients in a Dutch pilot study. Findings showed that spirometry measurements, which assess the amount and/or speed of air inhaled…
The patientMpower digital healthcare app now offers a “share” tool that allows patients with pulmonary fibrosis and like conditions to easily keep caregivers, friends, and family members aware of their progress, according to a blog on the company’s website. The interactive mobile platform — the basis of the…
There are many different memes, quotes, and metaphors out there about how different personalities make us all unique. I am sure you can think of people you love who are entirely different in their personalities, and how each of them is skilled or excels at different tasks. They…
Serotonin — a chemical produced by nerve cells — aggravated pulmonary fibrosis by promoting inflammation, oxidative stress (an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defenses), and activating fibrosis-associated genes in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, a new study shows. The study, “Serotonin Exhibits Accelerated…
A scary moment I recently had a scare while in my backyard. I was cutting some ivy, an easy task I can do without bending over or digging in the dirt. I had a full tank of oxygen with me, and I was trimming on my back…
People close to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients and those they interact with — from family members and acquaintances to healthcare professionals — influence their acceptance of their disease and quality of life, a small U.K. study reports. It found that a solid understanding of IPF’s nature and disease…
I’ve experienced increased sensitivity to comments, gestures, or unusual behavior from others since my IPF diagnosis. Sometimes this is attributed to the medications I take for the management of my disease, such as high doses of steroids. At other times, I feel increasingly sensitive because I am aware…
A plant compound called parthenolide significantly reduces lung fibrosis and its associated inflammatory responses, according to a study conducted in mice with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The work also exposed the mechanisms behind parthenolide’s actions, providing a deeper understanding of lung fibrosis’ mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. The study,…
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