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Significant numbers of Americans suffer from eczema. Estimates place the number at 31.6 million, according to the National Eczema Association. It’s thought that as many as 10.2% of adults have eczema, with 3% suffering from moderate to severe eczema or atopic dermatitis. Recent discovery of a specific gene mutation may open the door to a new treatment strategy. In addition to reading our e-newsletter, be sure to visit Today’s Geriatric Medicine’s website at www.TodaysGeriatricMedicine.com, where you’ll find news and information that’s relevant and reliable. We welcome your feedback at TGMeditor@gvpub.com. Follow Today’s Geriatric Medicine on Facebook and Twitter, too. — Barbara Worthington, editor Gene Mutations Suggest Potential Treatment Strategy for Severe Eczema Relentless flaky, itchy, bumpy, dry skin is a daily issue for people with eczema. Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is an inflammatory skin condition. It affects an estimated 30% of the US population, mostly children and adolescents. Severe atopic dermatitis is a less common form of eczema that can be severely debilitating and may be accompanied by frequent infections and severe immune system defects. A team of scientists led by Joshua D. Milner, MD, SB, at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Erwin W. Gelfand, MD, at National Jewish Health in Denver, and Andrew L. Snow, PhD, at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, studied the genetics of patients with severe atopic dermatitis. The results appear in the August edition of Nature Genetics. Using whole-exome sequencing, the researchers found mutations in four patients in a gene called CARD11. None of these mutations was previously known. Other affected family members had the mutations as well, for a total of eight patients. CARD11 is a signaling protein that helps activate immune system cells called T cells. The protein participates in two important signaling pathways in these cells: the NF-κB and mTORC1 pathways. The CARD11 mutations all had similar effects in T cells; they interfered with activation of both pathways. The mutant forms of CARD11 had a dominant effect. This means they interfered with the pathways even when normal forms of the protein were present. Full story »   Gene Mutations Suggest Potential Treatment Strategy for Severe Eczema Top 5 Alternative Diabetes Therapies: Are Patients Undermining Their Treatment? SLPs Enhance Care for Dementia Patients Study Reinforces Walking’s Heart Health Benefit When Are Doctors Too Old to Practice? These Boxers Fight Parkinson’s Disease With Hooks, Jabs, and Uppercuts Seniors Miss Out on Clinical Trials Renewed Shingles Efforts Hold Promise for Elder Population IAGG Conference Wrap-Up Tech & Tools When Are Doctors Too Old to Practice? How old is too old to practice medicine? An article in The Wall Street Journal notes that some hospital systems are attempting to ascertain physicians’ fitness by requiring controversial testing after a particular age. These Boxers Fight Parkinson’s Disease With Hooks, Jabs, and Uppercuts Boxing as therapy for Parkinson’s disease patients improves patients’ strength, coordination, and body control, according to an article in North Carolina’s News & Observer. Seniors Miss Out on Clinical Trials An article online at Kaiser Health News notes that older adults represent only a small percentage of individuals enrolled in clinical trials nationwide. Renewed Shingles Vaccine Efforts Hold Promise for Elder Population An article in The Philadelphia Inquirer suggests that rates of shingles immunization among older adults may improve with the introduction of a newly formulated vaccine.

Top 5 Alternative Diabetes Therapies: Are Patients Undermining Their Treatment? Patients with diabetes often turn to unregulated and little studied supplements, foods, and alternative treatments. Such choices may carry the risk of real harm. Read more » SLPs Enhance Care for Dementia Patients Speech-language pathologists’ skills enable adept assessment of dementia patients’ communication abilities and specific deficits, facilitating development of care plans to optimize quality of life. Read more » Study Reinforces Walking’s Heart Health Benefit A community walking program utilizing pedometers with tracking capabilities successfully improved cardiovascular risk factors in a group of older rural women. Read more » Bridging Science, Policy, Practice By Barbara Worthington The IAGG World Congress, held July 23–27 in San Francisco, was designed to promote high levels of achievement in gerontological and geriatrics research and training worldwide, offering practical solutions to problems specific to older adults. The gathering attracted more than 6,000 attendees from all over the world, with clinicians and researchers from the United States, Canada, Japan, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Colombia, the Netherlands, Ghana, Mexico, and numerous other countries. The theme “Global Aging and Health: Bridging Science, Policy and Practice” brought together aging experts in the fields of medicine, nursing, biological science, social science, caregiving, and health care policy to address ways of improving older adults’ quality of life. The scope of the conference was impressive. While sessions and presentations spanned areas including medicine, nursing, behavioral science, interdisciplinary topics, and geriatrics, if there was a single topic that garnered the greatest interest, it was dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. Full story » Have a product or service you want to market to geriatricians, other physicians and the geriatric care team of professionals who treat aging patients? Are you a recruiter looking to fill the many geriatric professional openings within a facility, physician practice or academic institution? Then utilize the reach of Today's Geriatric Medicine to accomplish your marketing goals and fill any open positions. Coming up in our September/October 2017 issue is our Fall Risk Showcase. Contact sales for more information. A resource for professionals looking for new opportunities, as well as those physicians just curious to see what's out there, our Physician Recruitment Center gives physician recruiters a powerful tool to fill partnership opportunities, academic appointments, and hospital staff positions. To support your product marketing or recruiting needs, e-mail our experienced account executives today at sales@gvpub.com for more information or call 800-278-4400! Have a question you want answered by one of our experts? Send your question to TGMeditor@gvpub.com and it may be featured in an upcoming e-newsletter or print issue.   MobileDefender Model S The MobileDefender Model S, an individualized emergency response and monitoring system, can be used on the go, promoting older adults’ activity and mobility. With fall advisory capabilities and industry-leading location accuracy, the system helps to maintain independence. Integrated Bluetooth enables integration with wireless health monitoring systems. The system provides global GPS services and is able to withstand extreme conditions and uses. Learn more » Throat Scope Throat Scope, marketed as the world’s first lighted tongue depressor, has been released from Holland Healthcare. Providers attach the depressor to the handle to automatically activate the light and visualize the throat. The illumination of the throat and mouth creates an easier and faster exam. In addition to investigating mouth sores, it also can help in oral cancer screening. Easy to use, Throat Scope allows for fast and accurate examinations. It can be used to examine throats, teeth, articulation therapy, and oral cavity examinations. Learn more » A Secure, Anonymous Résumé Bank Job Alerts Sent to Your E-mail The nation's top employers and recruiters of geriatric care professionals advertise in Today's Geriatric Medicine magazine and post their job openings on AlliedHealthCareers.com. Check out the most recent opportunities that have been submitted by employers across the country! Geriatric Hospitalist—Legacy Health, OR SNF Physicians, Hospitalists, Comprehensive Care Physicians— HealthCare Partners, LA/Orange County, CA Geriatrician—Reading Health, PA Adult Psychiatrist—Reading Health, PA Geriatrician—UHS Medical Group, NY Geriatrician—University of Kansas Health Set up Job Alerts and create your online Résumé to let potential employers find you today!