Culture | Science Codex

A social network for young Londoners on the buses

Free bus travel has improved the social lives and independence of 12-18 year olds in London, according to research published today in the journal Mobilities.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and UCL (University College London) found that free bus travel – which all young Londoners are entitled to by registering for a Zip Oyster Card – increased young people's ability to travel independently and extended their opportunities through facilitating extra trips, trips further afield and/or exploratory trips with friends.

Multiple moves found harmful to poor young children

Poor children who move three or more times before they turn 5 have more behavior problems than their peers, according to a new study by researchers at Cornell University and the National Employment Law Project. The study is published in the journal Child Development.

Language used in immigration debates may be as important as the policies

WASHINGTON, DC, March 25, 2013 — The language activists and politicians use in immigration debates may be as important as the policies they are debating when it comes to long-term effects, according to the author of a new study in the April issue of the American Sociological Review.

15 minutes of fame? Study finds true fame isn't fleeting

WASHINGTON, DC, March 25, 2013 — True fame isn't fleeting. That's what a team of researchers led by McGill University's Eran Shor and Stony Brook University's Arnout van de Rijt conclude in a new study that appears in the April issue of the American Sociological Review.

Restrictive Medicaid eligibility criteria associated with higher rates of delayed medical care

Boston – Effective health screening and preventive care is known to reduce health care costs and improve health outcomes, yet new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) shows that restrictive Medicaid policies are associated with patients delaying needed medical care due to cost. States and counties with the most restrictive Medicaid eligibility criteria (where individuals must be far below the federal poverty level to qualify for Medicaid) have the highest rates of delayed care. This research appears in the March 28, 2013 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

How does innovation take hold in a community? Math modeling can provide clues

Philadelphia, PA—Mathematical models can be used to study the spread of technological innovations among individuals connected to each other by a network of peer-to-peer influences, such as in a physical community or neighborhood. One such model was introduced in a paper published yesterday in the SIAM Journal on Applied Dynamical Systems.

Joslin study shows dietary fat can affect glucose levels and insulin requirements in type 1 diabetes

BOSTON – March 27, 2013 – In a study of patients with type 1 diabetes, Joslin researchers found that dietary fat can affect glucose levels and insulin requirements. These findings, which appeared in the April edition of Diabetes Care, have major implications for the management of type 1 diabetes.

Sex discrimination begins in the womb

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Women in India are more likely to get prenatal care when pregnant with boys, according to groundbreaking research that has implications for girls' health and survival.

The study by Leah Lakdawala of Michigan State University and Prashant Bharadwaj of the University of California, San Diego, suggests sex discrimination begins in the womb in male-dominated societies.

"It paints a pretty dire picture of what's happening," said Lakdawala, MSU assistant professor of economics.

EEG identifies seizures in hospital patients, UCSF study finds

Electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures and records electrical activity in the brain, is a quick and efficient way of determining whether seizures are the cause of altered mental status (AMS) and spells, according to a study by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco.

The research, which focused on patients who had been given an EEG after being admitted to the hospital for symptoms such as AMS and spells, appears on March 27 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Researchers question evaluation methods for protected areas in the Amazon

The indicators currently being used to guide policy and investments into protected areas in the Amazon may not be having the desired effect.

This is according to a new study published today, 27 March, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, which has analysed 66 protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon and performed a critical analysis of the tool – the Rapid Assessment and Prioritisation of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) – that is used to manage, prioritise and assess the effectiveness of conservation efforts in these areas.

Certified stroke centers more likely to give clot-busting drugs

Stroke patients are three times more likely to receive clot-busting medication if treated at a certified stroke center, according to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency treatment for people who have ischemic (clot-caused) stroke. The durg can reduce stroke disability.

Antibiotic may provide benefit for treatment of respiratory disorder

Among patients with the lung disorder non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, treatment with the antibiotic erythromycin resulted in improvement in symptoms but also increased the risk of antibiotic resistance, according to a study appearing in the March 27 issue of JAMA.

David J. Serisier, M.B.B.S., D.M., F.R.A.C.P., of Mater Adult Hospital, South Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues tested the hypothesis that low-dose erythromycin would reduce pulmonary exacerbations in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis with a history of frequent exacerbations.

Climate change will increase diarrheal disease in African countries, says veterinarian

Kathleen Alexander, an associate professor of wildlife at Virginia Tech, found that climate drives a large part of diarrheal disease and increases the threat of climate change for vulnerable communities.

The only study of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa is based on three decades of historical data and has important implications for arid countries around the world struggling with poverty and increasing health challenges.

Restaurant service linked to customer demographics, race, Wayne State research finds

DETROIT — Restaurant servers are more likely to give better service to patron types they believe are more inclined to tip well, a Wayne State University researcher has found, a principle that has significant consequences when African-Americans are at the table.

Commonly used cholesterol calculation underestimates heart disease danger for many

In what promises to be an eye-opener for many doctors and patients who routinely depend on cholesterol testing, a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that the standard formula used for decades to calculate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels is often inaccurate. Of most concern, the researchers say, is their finding that the widely used formula underestimates LDL where accuracy matters most — in the range considered desirable for high-risk patients.