Culture | Science Codex

Vitamin C is beneficial against the common cold

Vitamin C seems to be particularly beneficial for people under heavy physical stress. In five randomized trials of participants with heavy short-term physical stress, vitamin C halved the incidence of the common cold.

Three of the trials studied marathon runners, one studied Swiss school children in a skiing camp and one studied Canadian soldiers during a winter exercise.

Furthermore, in a recent randomized trial carried out with adolescent competitive swimmers, vitamin C halved the duration of colds in males, although the vitamin had no effect on females.

Research at the 2013 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium

The 2013 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium has announced research to be presented at this year's meeting. Three of the featured studies focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancers; another study looks at a new immunotherapy for metastatic kidney cancer.

Long-term survival of subjects in a prostate cancer prevention trial. General Poster Session A, Thursday, February 14, 2013, 11:45 AM – 01:15 PM EST, Thursday, February 14, 2013, 05:05 PM – 06:35 PM EST, Rosen, Gatlin Ballroom B, Phyllis J. Goodman, M.S.

Does race make a difference in monitoring of opioid pain therapy?

Philadelphia, PA, February 12, 2013 – Opioids are frequently prescribed for pain management in noncancer patients, but recommended clinical guidelines for monitoring effectiveness and signs of drug abuse are often not implemented. Alongside well-documented racial disparities in prescribing opioid medications for pain, researchers report racial differences in the use of recommended opioid monitoring and follow-up treatment practices. The study is published in the current issue of PAIN®.

FASEB joins President Obama in urging Congress to sustain investments in research and innovation

Bethesda, MD – The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) enthusiastically supports President Barack Obama's call to Congress to maintain key federal investments in research and development as outlined in his State of the Union address last night. "Once again we sincerely appreciate the President's emphasis on scientific innovation and his willingness to make funding for research a national priority.

Hey Sasquatch? 3 "Bigfoot" genomes sequenced in DNA study

A multidisciplinary team of scientists announced on November 24, 2012 the results of a five-year long study of DNA samples from a novel hominin species they call "Bigfoot" and "Sasquatch,". They have published their findings today in the DeNovo Journal of Science. The Denovo Journal of Science publishes "new research articles in any area that aligns with the foundation's mission", which they don't specify.

Platelet-rich plasma treatment shows potential for knee osteoarthritis

A study by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery has shown that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) holds great promise for treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. The treatment improved pain and function, and in up to 73% of patients, appeared to delay the progression of osteoarthritis, which is a progressive disease. The study appears online, ahead of print, in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

CVD time bomb set to explode in Gulf region in 10-15 years

Sophia Antipolis, 13 February 2013: With one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, the Gulf region is facing an epidemic of cardiovascular disease. At least 50% of the population is below the age of 25 and the high prevalence of risk factors signals a massive wave of cardiovascular disease in 10-15 years. Cardiovascular centres are already bursting at the seams and prevention services are nonexistent.

Gaps in mental health infrastructure for youth identified in many US communities

ATLANTA- Mental health facilities that provide outpatient specialty services for youth are a critical element of the mental health care infrastructure, especially for youth who are uninsured or publically insured.

In a Viewpoint article in the February 13 issue of JAMA, Janet Cummings, PhD, assistant professor of health policy and management at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, presents data from the 2008 National Survey of Mental Health Treatment Facilities and examines the extent to which gaps exist in the mental health treatment system for youth.

Study examines hospital readmission and mortality rates for Medicare patients

In a study that included data on nearly 3 million hospital admissions for Medicare beneficiaries with heart attack, pneumonia or heart failure, researchers failed to find evidence that a hospital's performance on the measure for 30-day mortality rates was strongly associated with performance on 30-day readmission rates, findings that may lessen concerns that hospitals with lower mortality rates will have higher readmission rates, according to a study appearing in the February 13 issue of JAMA.

Marketing technique: Activating gender stereotypes just to knock 'em down

In certain circles, such as publishing, it has been well-documented that female authors have taken male pen names to attract a larger audience and/or get their book published. But should marketers actually highlight gender and activate stereotypes to sell more products?

Name-brand or generic? Your political ideology might influence your choice

Conservatives and liberals don't just differ when it comes to politics, they may also make different purchases at the grocery store, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Study shows long-term success rates for eradication of Barrett's esophagus after endoluminal therapies

OAK BROOK, Ill. – February 12, 2013 – A new study from researchers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania reports that endoluminal (endoscopic) therapies, combining resection and ablation techniques, for patients with Barrett's esophagus and high-grade dysplasia or early mucosal cancer have a high success rate, with durable results and a low risk of complications. The researchers noted that endoscopic surveillance after successful eradication is required.

Crew rotation and passenger connections spread flight delays

A study led by researchers of the Spanish National Research Council and the University of the Balearic Islands asserts that crew rotation and passengers connections systematically spread flight delays due to a domino effect. The work, that proposes a new methodology to assess the degree of air traffic congestion, is published on the latest issue of Scientific Reports.

Differential parenting found to affect whole family

Parents act differently with different children—for example, being more positive with one child and more negative with another. A new longitudinal study has found that this behavior negatively affects not only the child who receives more negative feedback, but all the children in the family. The study also found that the more risks experienced by parents, the more likely they will treat their children differentially.

Cardiovascular risk may remain for treated Cushing's disease patients

Chevy Chase, MD ––Even after successful treatment, patients with Cushing's disease who were older when diagnosed or had prolonged exposure to excess cortisol face a greater risk of dying or developing cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Cushing's disease is a rare condition where the body is exposed to excess cortisol – a stress hormone produced in the adrenal gland – for long periods of time.