HJBR May/Jun 2025

38 MAY / JUN 2025  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs Decreased cognition has been neither prevent- able nor treatable; however, growing evidence through Bazan’s research supports the notion that it is preventable and at least delayable in many instances. The lecture will conclude by highlight- ing beneficial well-defined actions of ELVs rele- vant to sustain cognition and successful aging. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Launches More “Build a HealthyMeal” Videos Louisiana Healthcare Connections announced the launch of the fourth in the series of popu- lar “Build a Healthy Meal” videos, produced in partnership with the LSU AgCenter. This latest series introduces teens from the Teen Chef and 4-H programs, focusing on nutritious, kid-friendly meals and snacks that children can easily make themselves. Each episode is presented by a team composed of a middle or high school student and an LSU AgCenter nutrition agent and showcases the cre- ativity and culinary skills of Louisiana’s youth. The initiative highlights the importance of empow- ering children with the knowledge and tools to prepare healthy meals, fostering lifelong healthy eating habits. The first five kid-friendly recipe videos in the series are now available online: • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets and Roasted Broccoli – Presented by Jennifer Duhon and 8th grade 4-H member Brees (Central Louisiana). • Pecan Wild Rice – Presented by Quincy Vid- rine and 9th grade 4-H member Jonathan (Northeast Louisiana). • Taco Empanadas – Presented by Quincy Vidrine and 11th grade 4-H member Sarah (Northeast Louisiana). • Three Sisters Soup – Presented by Jennifer Duhon and 12th grade teen chef Morgan (Central Louisiana). • Sushi Stack – Presented by Mandy Armen- tor and 8th grade 4-H member Luke (South- west Louisiana). “Learning to prepare easy, healthy, and tasty dishes using low-cost ingredients the entire fam- ily will enjoy is a win for pocketbooks, but also for overall health,” said Sandra May, MS, LDN, RD, instructor, LSU AgCenter. “By involving 4-H students in creating these videos, we’re not only promoting nutritious meals but also encouraging young people to take an active role in their own health and well-being. Plus, this series can reach a wide audience of Louisiana youth through social media channels.” These videos, along with a collection of 30 previous episodes from series 1-3, including heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly meal ideas, are available at LSU AgCenter’s Build a Healthy Meal website, www.lsuagcenter.com//builda- healthymeal. Printable recipe cards are also pro- vided, making it easy for families to try these rec- ipes at home. In addition to being featured online, these recipes will be shared through LSU AgCenter’s annual Simple & Delicious calendar, at commu- nity events, food demonstrations, and as part of the LSU AgCenter’s SNAP-Ed and EFNEP nutri- tion education programs, as well as Dining with Diabetes and Break Up with Salt classes. For more information about the Build a Healthy Meal partnership, contact Louisiana Healthcare Connections at www.louisianahealthconnect.com . Learn more about the LSU AgCenter’s Nutrition and Community Health programs at www.lsuag- center.com/foodandhealth. New Study Links Energy Bursts to Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury A new study from Tulane University suggests that repeated collapse and reopening of tiny alveoli — air sacs in the lungs essential for breathing — during mechanical ventilation may cause microscopic tissue damage, playing a key role in ventilator-related injuries that contribute to thousands of deaths annually. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) , the study sheds light on ventilator-induced lung injury, a compli- cation that gained increased attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. These devices pump oxygen-rich air into a patient’s air- ways when they are unable to breathe adequately on their own. The study identified that alveolar recruitment/ derecruitment — when collapsed air sacs in the lungs repeatedly open and close — accounts for only 2-5% of energy dissipation during ventilation but correlates directly with lung injury in a model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). “It’s like a tiny explosion at the delicate lung surface,” said lead author Donald P. Gaver, a bio- medical engineering professor at Tulane Univer- sity School of Science and Engineering. “Though small in magnitude, it creates a power intensity of about 100 watts per square meter — comparable to sunlight exposure.” ARDS is a severe lung condition that affects roughly 10% of intensive care unit patients and carries a mortality rate of 30-40%, even with mod- ern ventilation techniques. Using a pig model of ARDS, the team examined how ventilator energy is transferred and dissipated in the lungs. The researchers found that reducing this type of energy dissipation led to rapid recovery, while patients continued to deteriorate when 5-10% of alveoli underwent repetitive recruitment/ derecruitment. The study suggests that minimizing these repet- itive collapse-and-reopening cycles could sig- nificantly reduce ventilator-induced lung injury. Researchers noted that adjusting ventilation strat- egies to prevent such events may improve out- comes for critically ill patients. The study’s findings could also help inform the development of new ventilation protocols aimed at reducing lung injury and improving patient care in intensive care units worldwide. “Follow-up steps should include develop- ing real-time monitoring devices to quantify reopening events and integrating this data into treatment strategies to optimize ventilation and improve patient outcomes,” Gaver said. This research was completed in collaboration with the University of Vermont, the State Uni- versity of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate), and the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. LDHUnveils NewCentral Louisiana State Hospital The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) unveiled the new Central Louisiana State Hospi- tal (CLSH) in Pineville with a ribbon-cutting cer- emony. The state-of-the-art facility provides care for up to 116 patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses, with a focus on rehabilitation and preparing patients for success. Long in the