01 Jun PERF Monthly Newsletter – May 2018
MAY 2018
Here is a roundup of the articles, news & updates that we've published on the PERF blog site during the past month. Click on the "Read More" link at the bottom of each excerpt to read the full article.
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History of Oxygen Therapy
By Thomas Petty, MD
Would you like to know a little more about the history of oxygen? Here is the original correspondence from Dr. Tom Petty to the TV producer of a 3-minute TV segment on oxygen therapy back in 2003:
The history of oxygen is a good story. We did our first research with liquid portable oxygen back in 1965. At that time, it was a revolutionary idea to be able to get oxygen at all, especially outside of hospitals. Ambulatory oxygen was truly unique. Our original research, showing that cardiac function and reconditioning was possible, was confirmed by others including a group in Birmingham, England. They did almost exactly the same study that we did, independent of knowledge of what we had done!
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The New Gold Committee Official Document
The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD Committee) has released its 2018 edition of the Pocket Guide to COPD Diagnosis, Management and Prevention: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Click on the image below to access the report from their website. Access to the report is free, but please note that the report is copyrighted. If you wish to print or distribute paper copies of the report, click here to contact the GOLD Committee.
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Better Breather’s Club Meeting May 16
All are welcome to attend this month’s meeting of the Better Breather’s Club, Wednesday, May 16 at 2 pm, at LA BioMed’s Clinical Trials Center, 1101 W. 220th Street, Torrance, CA. This month’s topic is “Resistance Exercise Training for People with Chronic Lung Disease,” presented by Thomas W. Storer, PhD, a foremost academic expert on training muscles for strength and power.
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Pulmonary Rehabilitation Video Series [VIDEO]
Many years ago, it was found that pulmonary rehabilitation is the most effective form of treatment for COPD and many other pulmonary diseases. Watch this series of six videos filmed in 1994 to hear from pioneers in the field of pulmonary rehabilitation: Thomas L. Petty, MD; Richard Casaburi, PhD, MD; Mary Burns, RN, BS; Brenda Crowe, CRTT; Julie Messa, MS; and Karen M. Kelly, MD, and to learn about how pulmonary rehabilitation has helped patients around the world.
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Thanks to Alvin – a Tribute
By Mary Burns, RN, BS
Asst. Clinical Professor, School of Nursing, UCLA (ret)
Executive Vice President, PERF
Alvin Grancell has served as Vice-President of PERF since its origin. He will be 99 years old May 28th. That is a very special event, of course, but why are we writing about it in a blog? Because Alvin has been very special in other ways that may have impacted your life also. Let me tell you some of this wonderful story.
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A New Drug May Improve Lung and Cardiovascular Function
Ghrelin, a substance related to growth-hormone, is being studied to determine if it may improve the symptoms of emphysema. Ghrelin is known to stimulate muscle growth, create anti-inflammatory effects, promote dilation of blood vessels, and improve heart performance. Researchers hypothesized that use of the drug in emphysema patients might reduce lung inflammation and remodeling and might also improve lung mechanics and cardiac function.
Results of a Study Using Ghrelin to Treat Emphysema Symptoms in Mice
In a study using mice in which lung damage was caused by introducing chemicals into the lungs to cause emphysema, ghrelin was found to reduce the lung damage, improve heart function, and also increase muscle mass.
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Please Donate to PERF and Help Keep Our Programs and Research Going
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Find Out How You Can Donate to PERF at No Cost to You – Simply By Shopping
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