Dr. Ruben Mesa Ruben Mesa , MD, FACP, has been elected an officer on the national board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Mesa is director of the Mays Cancer Center , where he holds the Mays Family Foundation Distinguished University Presidential Chair. The Mays Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center in South Texas, and one of only four in…
With an alarm code, we can enter a building without bells going off. It turns out that the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has the same advantage entering cells. It possesses the code to just walk right into our body On July 24 in Nature Communications , researchers reported how the coronavirus achieves this. The scientists resolved the structure of an enzyme, which the virus produces and then…
The COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) , which includes the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson , announced results July 22 of its second national observational study. The study compares the outcomes of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to the treatments they received. Patients who were treated with the antiviral drug remdesivir fared the best, while patients…
When Robert A. De Lorenzo, MD, was an Army doctor in the bloody Iraq war, he was disturbed by a gap in care due to antiquated airway devices. “I saw our combat medics and emergency providers not carrying suction equipment, not carrying the best airway equipment,” said Dr. De Lorenzo, professor and research director in the Department of Emergency Medicine. “I asked why, and they said, look, the…
By: Caitlyn Mooney, M.D ., Orthopaedic Sports Medicine There is a lot of uncertainty in terms of what the new normal will be in the upcoming months. While there are on-going discussions, no one knows when sports will be returning and what restrictions will be implemented upon return. Even if your child cannot participate in their usual physical education class or sporting activities, it is…, Benefits of Physical Activity, Physical activity has numerous immediate health benefits, such as improved sleep and school performance. In regards to long term health, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, some cancers, and improves bone health. Exercise also offers mental health benefits as it is an excellent outlet for children to deal with stressors and has been shown to reduce the risk of mood…, Physical Activity Recommendations, At baseline, only about 25% of children get the recommended amount of daily activity. Surveys suggest that people are not as active as they were before COVID, which is likely due to both fear and inability to participate in preferred activities due to restrictions. We have no data on physical activity in children during the COVID pandemic. Still, we do know that children are less likely to get…, Infants: , Physical activity starts in infancy with encouraging 30 minutes a day of tummy time throughout the day as well as activities such as pushing, reaching, crawling, and sitting up. , Toddlers:, 1-2-year-olds should get 180 minutes of physical activity throughout the day, combining planned or guided activity as well as free play. Good exercises for toddlers during the pandemic include making music with household objects, exploring the outside with a parent at a park or in the yard, hunting for bugs, play with a sprinkler or hose, playing in a baby pool, playing with sand, seated ball…, Preschoolers: , Preschoolers should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous play per day. Preschoolers will enjoy many of the same activities that toddlers do, but they can understand rules and develop skills in kicking, throwing, and catching. Thus ball sports can be introduced. Outdoor scavenger hunts, obstacle courses or mini olympic competitions can add some fun variety. Preschoolers also love…, School-Age Children: , School-aged children should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity daily. Strenuous activity, as well as bone and muscle-strengthening activities, should be done three times a week. Children in this age group will often appreciate more sport-specific skills such as playing catch, playing soccer, and shooting hoops besides the activities mentioned above. They also enjoy games such…, Adolescents: , Like school-aged children, adolescents should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity daily. Strenuous exercise, as well as bone and muscle-strengthening activities, should be done three times a week. Late elementary school and middle school age groups are typically when children begin to get less active. Sport-specific drills and practice may appeal to children who are involved…, Some links to expand your families activities include:, Local resources:, San Antonio Sports: Online classes, i play! at home, Family Fit Challenge, and Alpha Warriors 12 week fitness challenge: http://sanantoniosports.org/stay-active-stay-healthy/ http://sanantoniosports.org/stay-active-stay-healthy/ YMCA virtual online classes: https://ymcasatx.org/virtualymca The Union Fitness & Fun: Free livestream classes https://www.theunionsa.com/schedule/ Cycle Hub:…, Additional Resources: , Move United: Adaptive sports at home. https://www.moveunitedsport.org/adaptathome/ GoNoodle: Includes weekly activities on video as well as additional permanent videos. Also has an app with “video games” that require movement. http://family.gonoodle.com OPEN: Online Physical Education Network https://openphysed.org/activeschools/activehome https://openphysed.org/activeschools/activehome…
UT Health San Antonio put out a call for essential medical supplies and the community answered. Community members generously donated personal protective equipment (PPE) during last week’s donation drive on campus. N95 respirator masks, face shields, surgical masks, unused medical disposable gloves and thermometers were dropped off. Northside Independent School District donated thousands of face…
As laboratories across the country rush to find answers for the novel coronavirus, UT Health San Antonio is bringing a unique combination of expertise to bear on the crisis. The goal is a precise and effective vaccine to prevent infection, said Robert Hromas, M.D., professor and dean of the university’s Long School of Medicine. UT Health San Antonio is supporting multiple research projects in…, Goal is to lock cells against viral spread, The novel coronavirus, which in some individuals with weaker immune systems gives rise to the respiratory syndrome COVID-19, features spike proteins on its coat. The virus uses the spikes to force its way into surrounding cells. “You can sort of see it as a lock and a key,” Dr. Bunnik said. “The spike protein is the key that needs to bind to the lock on the host cell. If you can prevent the key…, Unique mice will aid the cause, UT Health San Antonio collaborators include Paolo Casali, M.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics. Dr. Casali has created mice that have a full human immune system (H-Mice). He will immunize H-Mice mice with the COVID-19 virus spike protein and analyze what kind of antibodies the mice produce. The goal is to compare the antibodies that are observed…
Dr. Rachel Pearson, a pediatrician and member of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, shares best practices for children’s exercise and playtime during this time of social distancing due to the coronavirus. Kids need to be outside, stay active and exercise to be healthy, even during times of social distancing. It is best to avoid shared play places with high touch areas such as the…
Dr. Fred Campbell, an internal medicine specialist with UT Health San Antonio explains what social distancing means and why it is so vital to fight COVID-19. We can all do our part to help slow down this disease. "It is very serious to undertake social distancing and use common sense," he said. "Social distancing may make the difference between the COVID-19 virus overwhelming our health care…
Dr. Ruth Berggren from UT Health San Antonio has been named the Bexar County medical advisor. As an infectious disease specialist, Dr. Berggren has proven her expertise in emergency response situations in the past. She urges taking quick, decisive actions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Read up on how you can do your part to slow the spread of this disease on the CDC site. Read more on how Dr.…