Culture | Page 1705 | Science Codex

Diabetes challenges and inspires family members, study finds

Better outcomes may be possible if family members receive support to help their loved ones with diabetes, according to a major international study with analysis led by a Penn State College of Medicine researcher.

In the DAWN2 study--a large-scale survey of family members of adults with diabetes in 17 countries--researchers looked at the experiences and unmet needs of people with diabetes and their family members and healthcare providers. Previous research has shown that family members help adults manage their diabetes, and that this support plays a role in diabetes outcomes.

Female physicians at public medical schools paid an average of 8 percent less than males

In what is probably the largest study of salary differences between male and female medical school faculty members, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) find that - even after adjusting for factors likely to influence income - women physicians earn an average of $20,000 per year less than men. Their study, which analyzed data for physicians employed at 24 public medical schools, is being published online in JAMA Internal Medicine.

UTSA professor's study describes new strategies for investigating microbial outbreaks

In a new study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, Mark Eppinger, assistant professor in the Department of Biology at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) describes innovative strategies to track disease-causing pathogens like E. coli. Eppinger hopes his research will aid in halting and preventing large-scale outbreaks.

"When there's an outbreak of human pathogenic E. coli, a timely response is very important," he said. "Usually, at first no information is available about where the disease originated."

Physician payment reform has led to decrease in home-based dialysis

HOUSTON - (July 11, 2016) - The Medicare program's transition in 2004 to tiered fee-for-service physician reimbursement for dialysis care had the unintended consequence of reducing use of home dialysis, according to a paper co-authored by a nonresident scholar at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and colleagues from Stanford University and Baylor College of Medicine.

The true cost of crime -- in carbon footprints

Crimes committed in England and Wales contributed over 4 million metric tonnes CO2e, equivalent to the carbon emissions of around 900,000 UK homes
Burglary is the worst offender, contributing 30% of the total crime carbon footprint, followed by criminal justice system services (21%)
However, reducing crime does not necessarily reduce carbon footprint, according to University of Surrey study

Study: Gut bacteria can cause, predict and prevent rheumatoid arthritis

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- The bacteria in your gut do more than break down your food. They also can predict susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis, suggests Veena Taneja, Ph.D., an immunologist at Mayo Clinic's Center for Individualized Medicine. Dr. Taneja recently published two studies -- one in Genome Medicine and one in Arthritis and Rheumatology -- connecting the dots between gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis.

What factors are linked to a more dangerous college environment?

Sexual victimization on college campuses may be more or less likely depending on institutional characteristics of the school such as size, type (public or private), sex ratio, selectivity, and percentage of students involved in Greek life (fraternities and sororities). A new study examining the roles these factors play in the risk of attempted forced intercourse, unwanted sex, and drug- and alcohol-facilitated sexual assault is published in Violence and Gender.

Nanotech 'tattoo' can map emotions and monitor muscle activity

A new temporary "electronic tattoo" developed by Tel Aviv University that can measure the activity of muscle and nerve cells researchers is poised to revolutionize medicine, rehabilitation, and even business and marketing research.

The tattoo consists of a carbon electrode, an adhesive surface that attaches to the skin, and a nanotechnology-based conductive polymer coating that enhances the electrode's performance. It records a strong, steady signal for hours on end without irritating the skin.

New Penn research shows average joint contains much less marijuana than thought

How much marijuana does the average joint contain?

"It seems like an odd question but major policy questions depend on the answer," said Greg Ridgeway, an associate professor of criminology and statistics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Until now, there's been no consensus. Previous research suggested a single joint held anywhere from 0.3 to 0.75 grams of cannabis, with some users reporting amounts as high as 1 gram. The United States Office of National Drug Control Policy used 0.5 grams as its baseline.

Penn study links recession recovery, increase in commercial truck fatalities

What could be the downside to unemployment rates plummeting in recent years? One place to look is the road.

Research has shown that when the economy improves, motor vehicle fatalities also increase.

According to new findings from Monica He, a demography doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, the driving force behind this link during the recent Great Recession was higher deadly crashes involving large, commercial trucks. She published her findings in the journal Social Science & Medicine.

Concussions on the rise for adolescents, researchers say

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Sustaining a concussion during adolescence may be more common than previous estimates, according to researchers presenting their study at the American Orhopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, CO today.

Hamstring injuries in baseball may be preventable

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Creating a program to prevent hamstring injuries in minor league and major league baseball players might be a possibility say researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, CO.

"Hamstring injuries, both acute and chronic are on the rise in baseball and injury prevention programs may help stem this trend," says lead author, Holly Silvers-Granelli, MPT, PhD Candidate at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.

The Lancet: Study maps transmission of MERS virus in South Korean hospital from one 'super-spreader' patient

Overcrowded emergency room was high risk location of infection
Super-spreader patient linked to 82 of the 186 MERS cases seen in the 2015 South Korean outbreak

Increase in childhood and adult asthma linked to London's 1952 Great Smog

London's Great Smog of 1952 resulted in thousands of premature deaths and even more people becoming ill. The five December days the smog lasted may have also resulted in thousands more cases of childhood and adult asthma. Researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, the University of California, San Diego and University of Massachusetts studied how London's Great Smog affected early childhood health and the long-term health consequences.

Web-based data tool designed to enhance drug safety

CINCINNATI - A new online open-access database has been developed by scientists to allow the clinical responses of more than 5 million patients to all FDA-approved drugs to be used to identify unexpected clinical harm, benefits and alternative treatment choices for individual patients, according to a study appearing July 8 in Nature Biotechnology.