Back-to-school season will soon be in full swing, and ahead of National Back-to-School Prep Day, Paria Zarrinnegar, M.D., advises: "Parents can help prepare their kids proactively for the big change. Give them space to talk about their worries and share their feelings, including any anxiety they might have, validate their worries, and listen to them. Then help them see the potential for joy as the new year starts."

In a story about an artificial intelligence algorithm that can help diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Ahmad Masri, M.D., describes how new medications for the heart condition provide patients with more treatment options: “In the old days, you would just look a patient in the eye and tell them the only option at this point in time is surgery.”

A new global study finds COVID-19 disease may cause change in menstrual cycle length; the small, temporary changes are similar to those experienced after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. “As the prevalence of COVID-19 has increased, the public has reported a range of menstrual cycle changes, including longer length of cycle. Knowing this was a widespread concern, our team — along with other reproductive health experts across the globe — made this research a top priority,” says Alison Edelman, M.D., a lead author of the study.

A study published in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health finds that a menstrual disc holds up to twice as much period blood as a tampon or a pad. Lead author Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., says of the study, “We have noticed that a lot of folks — particularly those with heavy periods — are moving toward cups and discs, and we realized we don’t really have a good metric to diagnose heavy bleeding utilizing those methods, as all the currently available methods are dependent on pads and tampons.”

A study published in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health finds that a menstrual disc holds up to twice as much period blood as a tampon or a pad. Lead author Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., says of the study, “We have noticed that a lot of folks — particularly those with heavy periods — are moving toward cups and discs, and we realized we don’t really have a good metric to diagnose heavy bleeding utilizing those methods, as all the currently available methods are dependent on pads and tampons."

OHSU researchers find that a form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers. Kathy Grant, Ph.D., says of the study in nonhuman primates, “The monkeys that were treated with this gene permanently started overexpressing dopamine and they decreased their drinking substantially. ... This was incredibly effective.”

OHSU researchers find that a form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers. Kathy Grant, Ph.D., says of the study in nonhuman primates, “The monkeys that were treated with this gene permanently started overexpressing dopamine and they decreased their drinking substantially. ... This was incredibly effective.”

OHSU researchers find that a form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers. Kathy Grant, Ph.D., says of the study in nonhuman primates, “The monkeys that were treated with this gene permanently started overexpressing dopamine and they decreased their drinking substantially. ... This was incredibly effective.”

OHSU researchers find that a form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers. Kathy Grant, Ph.D., says of the study in nonhuman primates, “The monkeys that were treated with this gene permanently started overexpressing dopamine and they decreased their drinking substantially. ... This was incredibly effective.”

OHSU researchers find that a form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers. Kathy Grant, Ph.D., says of the study in nonhuman primates, “The monkeys that were treated with this gene permanently started overexpressing dopamine and they decreased their drinking substantially. ... This was incredibly effective.”