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Cedars-Sinai is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy L. Sicotte, MD, as chair of the Department of Neurology.

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A novel imaging technique that uses a synthesized form of scorpion venom to light up brain tumors has shown promise in a clinical trial. The imaging system enables neurosurgeons to better see malignant growths that often are difficult to fully eliminate. The new imaging technique that was studied uses a special high-sensitivity near-infrared camera developed at Cedars-Sinai, along with the imaging agent tozuleristide, or BLZ-100, developed by Blaze Bioscience, Inc.

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Nothing can ruin foreign travel like a nasty virus. A small bug bite or even a sip of water can lead to a serious illness and wreck a long-planned vacation. But with a little planning and preparation, it's easy to protect your health. Specially trained pharmacists with Cedars-Sinai's Travel Medicine program have developed a "pre-flight" checklist for international travelers.

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Cedars-Sinai volunteer Patricia Marquis, whose stage name is Patricia Magicia, uses magic for more than just entertainment. She uses her craft as a welcome distraction for patients facing an array of illnesses.

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As death closed in on the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, some of those coping amid the wretched conditions affirmed life in an extraordinary way: They operated a clandestine medical school. For Leo A. Gordon, MD, a surgeon on the Cedars-Sinai staff for 40 years, the short-lived secret school endures as a source of inspiration, courage and defiance. But most of all, it is a story of the essence of education pitted against the essence of attempted cultural annihilation.

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Children and older adults are considered to be at higher risk for contracting measles. In this advisory, Michael Ben-Aderet, MD, associate director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai, shares what parents need to know about measles, including risk factors and tips for preventing it.

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It was in the Boy Scouts, decades before he came to Cedars-Sinai, that Dr. Nicholas Nissen, surgical director of Liver Transplantation, learned about going above and beyond the call of duty. On Thursday, April 25, he will receive one of the highest honors bestowed by Scouts USA: The rank of Distinguished Eagle Scout.

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After Hermine Honarvar Rule was told that she was in critical need of a kidney transplant, two relatives and a friend each volunteered to give up a kidney to help save her. But during the screening process all three candidates were discovered to have health issues that would disqualify them from donating. Thankfully, her husband Mark turned out to be the right match for his wife. “We were truly made for each other,” he jokes today.

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Family physicians play a crucial role in mental healthcare, but many lack the specific training needed to help their patients. Cedars-Sinai aims to close that gap by funding a new yearlong psychiatry fellowship. Through a $650,000 grant, 30 Los Angeles-based primary care safety-net providers are taking part in the program, known as UC Irvine/UC Davis Train New Trainers Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship.

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Here's a great story about a Kentucky woman who donated a kidney to a perfect stranger from New York who 21 years earlier had undergone a heart-liver transplant. The two women met on the Matching Donors website, a non-profit organization that provides a platform where patients and potential donors can meet. All three organ transplants took place at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

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Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and Phase ONE Foundation Distinguished Chair in Oncology, was introduced as a new member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP) at the group's annual meeting in Chicago on April 6.

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A recent study found that nearly 18 percent of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis before being referred to two major Los Angeles medical centers for treatment actually had been misdiagnosed with the autoimmune disease. The investigators found that many patients who came to the medical centers with a previous diagnosis of MS did not fulfill the criteria for that diagnosis, and spent an average of four years being treated for MS before receiving a correct diagnosis.

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A new study provides critical insight into a little-known, yet relatively common, inherited neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The findings point to a pathway to possible treatments for this disease and better understanding of other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, that affect millions.

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For decades, many have considered aneurysms a death sentence, but thanks to innovative, minimally invasive procedures, many can be treated before they become critical. Simi Valley, Calif., resident Roxanne Hanks is living proof that aneurysms are not always deadly. Her own subtle yet persistent symptoms were in fact signs of an aortic aneurysm and led to early detection and treatment.

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Cedars-Sinai is front and center in the growing trend of population health studies, which addresses environmental, cultural and genetic factors to understand why certain populations—groups defined by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status—have higher rates of cancer and other diseases than other groups. In Los Angeles County and across California, the medical center's Health Equity team is focusing on the high cancer mortality rate among Korean-Americans and the growing incidence of liver cancer in the Hispanic population, in addition to other health disparities in a number of communities.

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A protein associated with cancer growth appears to drive the deadly lung disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, according to new research from Cedars-Sinai. The discovery, made in laboratory mice and human tissue samples, may have implications for treating the disease using existing anti-cancer therapies that inhibit the protein PD-L1.

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Following an extensive national search, Cedars-Sinai has appointed David R. Marshall, JD, DNP, RN, CENP, NEA-BC, NHDP-BC, FAAN, as senior vice president and chief nursing executive. Marshall brings more than three decades of healthcare experience from bedside nurse to nursing-leadership proficiency and a reputation for enhancing innovation and emphasizing compassionate care.

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Two of Southern California's leading nonprofit healthcare organizations have agreed to create a joint venture that will own and operate Providence Tarzana Medical Center. The medical center's new name will be Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center.

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Dr. Zab Mosenifar, 70, has run every day of his adult life -- mostly in the Santa Monica Mountains -- and racked up about 135,200 miles (the equivalent of 5.6 times around the Earth). This Saturday, he will run his 100th marathon -- the Catalina Island Marathon, rated the sixth toughest in the world.

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The Clinical Research Forum recognized the Cedars-Sinai's Smidt Heart Institute with a 2019 Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Award today for its study aimed at developing a blood pressure control program for African-American men in the comfortable and convenient environments of their barbershops. In just six short months, the study improved the outcomes and control of high blood pressure in more than 60 percent of participants.

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A pilot program underway in more than 100 patient rooms at Cedars-Sinai is allowing patients to use an Alexa-powered platform known as Aiva to interact hands-free with nurses and control their entertainment. Aiva is the world's first patient-centered voice assistant platform for hospitals. In the pilot project, patient rooms are equipped with Amazon Echos and patients simply tell the device what they need.

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EMBARGOED: A new study has identified a drug that potentially could make a common type of immunotherapy for cancer even more effective. The study in laboratory mice found that the drug dasatinib, which is FDA-approved to treat certain types of leukemia, greatly enhances responses to a form of immunotherapy that is used against a wide range of other cancers.

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A new study has found that transplanting the bone marrow of young laboratory mice into old mice prevented cognitive decline in the old mice, preserving their memory and learning abilities. The findings support an emerging model that attributes cognitive decline, in part, to aging of blood cells, which are produced in bone marrow.

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Maxwell and Mason are twins who were born prematurely, weighing just 2 pounds and 10 ounces each, and each with a hole in his heart. At two weeks of age, the brothers underwent a nonsurgical procedure to fix their hearts - a physician guided a catheter through a vein in the leg to the heart and closed the hole. The procedure took only a few minutes. Today, Maxwell and Mason are energetic and healthy 1-year-olds with no signs of premature birth or their congenital heart condition.

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Patrick D. Lyden, MD, a world-renowned stroke expert who played a key role in the pivotal clinical trial leading to approval of the first proven stroke therapy, will receive the American Stroke Association’s prestigious William M. Feinberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Stroke.

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It's no secret that wearable, pop culture tech devices like Fitbit can aid in achieving fitness and activity goals. Now, a new study shows that using Fitbit activity monitors to measure how many steps a patient takes in the days after surgery can predict which patients leave the hospital sooner.

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New experimental cancer treatments are raising hopes among clinicians and patients for longer survival times and cures. But clinical trials that test such treatments also need to analyze the impact on patients of potentially harsh side effects, known as adverse events. A major new study now underway aims to better incorporate patient feedback into clinical trials that help determine which new cancer treatments will be approved for use.

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A new study in the journal Gastroenterology reveals that the standard method for ranking patients on the waitlist for lifesaving liver transplantation may not prioritize some of the sickest candidates for the top of the list.

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When patients fail to take prescribed medications—or don't use them the right way—they risk return trips to the hospital and cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $100 billion a year. Older hospital patients are most susceptible to drug-related problems that can lead to readmissions or even death. To help these individuals get the right medications and take them correctly after discharge, Cedars-Sinai has embedded pharmacists in the care teams treating certain high-risk patients. Medication lists are double-checked by a pharmacist for errors prior to discharge, and patients are sent home with their prescription drugs after being counseled on how to take them properly.

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On what would have been his father’s 90th birthday, Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the celebrated civil rights leader, addressed a capacity crowd in Cedars-Sinai's Harvey Morse Auditorium, taking them on a stirring journey through his childhood, his father's legacy and his vision for a united America. Downloadable video is available.

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A special edition of National Geographic on "The Future of Medicine" highlights the innovative stem-cell science of Cedars-Sinai, showing how investigators are seeking to use stem cells and Organ-Chips to tailor personalized treatments for individual patients. Downloadable video available.

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Cedars-Sinai Cancer drove major advances in cancer research in 2018. Among these was a study about a pancreatic cancer drug, Metavert, developed by Cedars-Sinai investigators to prevent the most common type of pancreatic cancer from growing and spreading. Other groundbreaking research this year focused on reducing health disparities, the latest treatment options for newly diagnosed melanoma patients, and a study outlining a new, more accurate system for assessing the severity of head and neck cancers and for predicting patient survival.

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Physician-researchers at Cedars-Sinai are available to discuss neuroscience findings from 2018. Several are detailed in this news release, including a study that found prolonged exposure to particulate matter in air pollution can cause changes in the brain. These changes could make people more susceptible to cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

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From testing barbershop-based care for hypertension to being the first to use new devices to treat aneurysms, 2018 at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute produced clinical-based advances with the power to transform cardiac care and patient lives.

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If your holidays will include elderly visitors, it may be important to do some advance planning to help ensure their safety. Dr. Sonja Rosen, chief of Geriatric Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, offers tips to prevent falls and keep older guests comfortable.

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Families and caregivers of people with cancer may view the holidays as a particularly challenging time, often feeling as though they have to live up to the ideal of merry and bright, when they—and those they’re tending—typically don’t feel that way. Cedars-Sinai experts offer 6 tips for making the most of the holidays while caring for someone with cancer.

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New 12-month data from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai backs up an earlier study proving that a pharmacist-led, barbershop-based medical intervention can successfully lower blood pressure in high-risk African-American men. The follow-up research was published Dec. 17, 2018, in the journal Circulation.

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Here's a great holiday story about a 20-year-old Reno, NV, man whose mother saved his life. Harley Brackney's snowboarding accident and subsequent trip to the emergency room led to the shocking discovery that he had a life-altering condition - stage 5 renal failure - and needed a kidney transplant. Fortunately for Harley Brackney, his mom was a perfect match and instead of waiting 7 to 10 years for a donor organ -- as many people must -- he was able to have a transplant in just a matter of months.

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Of the 165,000 men in the U.S. expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, about half will have low-risk disease. Many of those patients will opt for active surveillance -- a process in which men with low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer are regularly monitored to see if the cancer starts to grow and requires treatment.

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Vascular surgeon Ali Azizzadeh, MD, was the first to use a newly approved, minimally invasive device to perform a series of innovative surgeries on patients with aneurysms of the aorta, the main vessel that delivers blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

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New research from Cedars-Sinai has identified neurons that play a role in how people recognize errors they make, a discovery that may have implications for the treatment of conditions including obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia.

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For the first time, a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) Continuing Medical Education (CME) accredited course in GI surgery is available for streaming to surgeons and medical professionals. The course is a collaboration between medical experts at Cedars-Sinai and GIBLIB, the streaming media platform offering the largest library of on-demand medical lectures and surgical videos in the newest formats.

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Usually one would have to visit an art museum in order to see the beautiful landscapes by Vietnamese-American artist, Christine Nguyen, but drivers in West Hollywood get an up-close view of her oversized artwork as part of their daily commute. Nguyen's art is displayed on protective fencing surrounding construction at the future home of the Cedars-Sinai Saul & Joyce Brandman Breast Center.

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A new study has identified a novel molecular driver of lethal prostate cancer, along with a molecule that could be used to attack it. The findings were made in laboratory mice. If confirmed in humans, they could lead to more effective ways to control certain aggressive types of prostate cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death for men in the U.S.

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Heitham Hassoun, MD, a leading international health expert, has been named vice president and medical director of Cedars-Sinai's Center for International Health. Hassoun joins Cedars-Sinai from Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he was medical director for Global Healthcare at Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

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According to a recently released national report the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center's Liver Transplant Program had the best one-year survival outcome of all hospitals in California, with 96 percent of patients surviving beyond the one-year milestone. Kidney transplant and heart transplant patients also had excellent outcomes, with 97 percent of patients surviving past the one-year benchmark.

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New findings about sudden cardiac arrest, one of medicine's biggest mysteries, were revealed at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

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Researchers at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai discovered that a non-treatable form of lethal heart rhythm responsible for sudden cardiac arrest is twice as likely to be found in patients with the most common form of heart failure—heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), compared to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

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Cholene Espinoza, MD, is the second woman to fly a U-2 spy plane, and while her experience “touching the stars” was breathtaking, it doesn’t compare to the magic of her richest role yet: welcoming babies to the world.

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The end of daylight saving time—on Nov.4 this year—could create a more dangerous evening commute for people on foot, as darkness falls earlier and drivers find it harder to see on the road, says a Cedars-Sinai trauma physician.