Weekend Wrap Up 10.7.16

Well, hello! Are you as excited for the weekend as I am? A cling-on upper respiratory infection has me feeling exhausted and under the weather this morning, I’m definitely ready for a day off. Not to mention, I’m excited to take advantage of this amazing fall weather before Hurricane Matthew’s stormy remnants make it northward to Nashville. On the calendar for the weekend are a brunch and yard game tournament as well as an outing to a local vineyard for some wine tasting. What’s on your agenda?

I hope you’ve got some exciting plans for the weekend. If you could use some reading material to make it through this Friday, check out this week’s medical news no the lighter side. 

Have humans reached maximum lifespan? Research published this week argues that the oldest people on record have hit the ceiling of longevity. Data suggests that the milestone was reached in the 1990’s, say scientists, putting the average maximum human lifespan at 115. 

In other longevity news, the world’s oldest man celebrates his bar mitzvah 100 years late. 

Your next nurse could be a robot, at least according to one Italian medical team. Dr. Elena De Momi and colleagues trained a robot to imitate natural human actions. Her work indicates that humans and robots can effectively coordinate their actions during high-stakes events such as surgeries. 

5 sneaky ways women gain weight. 

The new iBeat smartwatch promises to detect oncoming cardiac arrest. Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Ryan Howard have partnered to release the new heart monitoring device. The watch monitors variations in volume to distal blood vessels warning users of potentially significant changes. Some scientists remain skeptical of the technology.  

Yes, hospitals actually charge new parents for holding their babies. Earlier this week, one family became a social media sensation when the father uploaded his wife’s hospital bill for his child’s recent delivery. An itemized list included a $39.35 charge for ‘skin-to-skin after C-section’. 

Republican and democrat doctors offer different care. 

Ohio bridal shop that closed amid the Ebola scare sues hospital. The owner of the shop that closed after nurse Amber Vinson visited the establishment just before being diagnosed with Ebola says the hospital failed to train and prevent the nurse from contracting the disease. 

FDA warns parents against using teething tablets and gels. The agency says the products ‘may pose a risk’ to infants and toddlers after reports of children who had seizures after using them. 

Rehab for addiction usually lasts 28 days, but why? The norm is not based on science, but rather what insurance companies are willing to pay. Researchers say we need more studies on how long it actually takes to treat addiction. 

This rare gene mutation makes some people crave fatty foods. 

The FDA launches a contest for opioid antidote app to prevent overdose deaths. The agency is calling for a platform that gives users a way to access the opioid antidote, naloxone, via their phone. The winner of the contest will get $40,000. 

Have a fabulous weekend!