Fixing a broken heart; dry powder vaccines; Surgical Barbie – Morning Medical Update

Cardiac regeneration could be possible

The heart can suffer severe damage during a heart attack. Is there a way physicians could direct treatment and repair at the cellular level? Researchers say they found a “link to cardiac regeneration,” potentially relevant to every patient who wants a functioning heart.

Get a whiff of this

Researchers in China announced a dry powder vaccine with an inhalable “unique nano-micro composite structure” to spark immunity in the lungs against respiratory viruses. The technology could reduce transportation costs and need for refrigerated storage, leading to greater immunization rates.

Paging Dr. Barbie

Barbie brand dolls have been portrayed as doctors at least 53 times. That’s a good way to show girls about careers as physicians, but there still is room to improve how Barbie and other dolls influence youths about medicine, according to a news release announcing a new study and accompanying editorial in BMJ. Incidentally, Barbie dolls also have “worked” as a scientist, science educator, nurse, dentist, and paramedic, among other jobs.