Culture | Page 1782 | Science Codex

Quicker clot removal may lead to better outcomes

The faster a blood clot causing a stroke is removed, the less disability a patient may have, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2016.

Previously, the SWIFT PRIME trial showed that patients with disabling ischemic (clot-caused) strokes were far less likely to die or be seriously impaired if their clots were physically removed with a clot retrieving device in addition to standard treatment with clot-busting drugs. In that trial, clot removal could be performed up to six hours after stroke onset.

Clot removal may save money and limit disability

Adding mechanical clot removal to clot-busting drugs could lower stroke survivors medical bills, decrease government healthcare as well as non-healthcare related costs, and increase the likelihood of the patient returning to work and participating in society, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2016.

Photographs and music lessen patients' anxiety before surgery

A new study found that viewing photographs combined with listening to music can less patients' anxiety before surgical operations and improve their physical and psychological well-being.

Listening to music while viewing photographs led to benefits related to anxiety, heart and respiratory rate, and blood pressure, compared with only viewing photographs.

The findings suggest a simple way to improve care at a low cost and without medications or invasive treatments, perhaps by playing videos with photos and music on televisions in preoperative waiting rooms.

Half the world to be short-sighted by 2050

5 billion to be short-sighted (myopic) by the year 2050
One in ten at risk of blindness
Myopia to become a leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide
U.S. and Canada - 260 million myopes by 2050, up from 90 million in 2000; 66 million high myopes by 2050, up from 11 million in 2000
Parents advised to have children's eyes checked regularly, improve time outdoors and moderate time on near based activities including electronic devices

The pros and cons of statistical tools to spot cartels

Experts estimate that illegal cartels of businesses harm consumers to the tune of many billions of dollars annually as they secretly collude to set prices, allocate territory, and distort market competition for their own financial benefit. In a new Significance article, Carsten Crede, of the Centre for Competition Policy and the School of Economics at the University of East Anglia, outlines the pros and cons of cartel screens, which are statistical tools to help spot bad business behavior.

Physical therapy cuts urine leaks dramatically for women with osteoporosis

CLEVELAND, Ohio (February 17, 2016)--After menopause, women with osteoporosis struggle more with urinary incontinence than women with healthy bones do. But physical therapy that includes pelvic floor muscle training can produce dramatic improvements, shows a study published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society. The study is the first-ever randomized, controlled trial of physical therapy for these urinary troubles in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or low bone mass.

Cytokine plays dual role in regulating inflammatory bowel disease, study finds

ATLANTA--Small proteins that affect communication between cells play an important role in regulating inflammation that occurs during inflammatory bowel disease, according to researchers at Georgia State University, Emory University, the University of Michigan and Amgen, a biotechnology company.

Can transgender individuals fit in the military?

A new paper defies standard psychological claims and says that transgender people report few lifetime mental and physical health problems - if they are in in the military. For that reason, the authors advocate a change to the Obama administration's policy of excluding transgender persons from enlisting in the U.S. military, or discharging them based on the presumption that they are unfit to serve due to their mental or physical health.

Overcrowding linked to violence and falls on psychiatric wards

February 16, 2015 - Overcrowding is a common problem in Israeli inpatient psychiatric wards, and appears to contribute to higher rates of problem incidents--including falls and aggressive behavior, reports a study in the March issue of Medical Care. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

New survey shows strong public support for medical research in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, La.--Feb. 16, 2016-- Louisiana's status as a leader in medical and health research is important to a strong majority of residents (89%), according to a state-based public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America. Sixty-nine percent of respondents agree that Louisiana state funds should be used to support scientific research at public universities, and 75% say spending money on medical research is important to Louisiana's economy in terms of jobs and incomes.

Antibody-coated drug-eluting stents for coronary heart disease: No hint of benefit

In patients with coronary heart disease requiring a stent implantation, the benefit of treatment with antibody-coated drug-eluting stents (ABC-DES) versus drug-eluting stents without antibody coating (DES) is still unclear. This is the result of a final report published on 20 November 2015, which the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care prepared on behalf of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).

There are always bacteria lurking in dental equipment, suggests research

Oxford, February 16, 2016 - Bacteria lurking in the water lines at the dentist's office are tougher than we thought, according to a new paper published in Water Research. The study reveals that the disinfectants recommended by companies that manufacture the water lines don't actually shift all the bacteria in the lines, which means they're never completely clean.

Cyber thieves making millions in profits

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Cyber thieves who steal credit and debit card numbers are making millions of dollars in profits, fueling a global criminal enterprise marked by the high-profile data breaches of major companies such as Target and Home Depot.

Thomas J. Holt, Michigan State University criminologist and lead investigator of one of the first scientific studies to estimate cybercrime profits, said the findings should be a wakeup call for consumers and law enforcement officials alike.

What do the world's leading shark researchers think of shark conservation policy?

MIAMI, FL (February 15, 2016). University of Miami (UM) Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy researchers investigated the conservation policy preferences of shark scientists, as well as their personal histories of conservation advocacy and their opinions about the environmental non-profit community. This survey of over 100 scientists and natural resource managers from all over the world is the first to assess the collective expertise of the world's largest professional shark research societies. The survey results are published today in the journal Conservation Biology.

To encourage exercise, losing a financial reward is more effective than gaining one

PHILADELPHIA - Financial incentives aimed at increasing physical activity were most effective when the rewards were put at risk of being lost, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The study, which tested the effectiveness of three methods of financial incentives to increase physical activity among overweight and obese adults, shows that depending on how they are framed, incentives of equal amounts can have significantly different effects on outcomes. Results are published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.