Culture | Science Codex

New imaging protocols help improve systemic functioning for living renal donors

A new study from UCLA shows how magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) are equivalent in delineating anatomy in living renal donors.

In a study that examined 30 patients and 60 kidneys, both modalities were "excellent" in detecting the number of renal arteries and veins. Dr. Mittul Gulati, lead author for the study noted, "either MRA or CTA are great tools for helping surgeons remove kidneys safely, identifying donor and recipient veins and vessels, and identifying incidental findings."

Study supports allowing family members in ED during critical care

BOSTON – Contrary to what many trauma teams believe, the presence of family members does not impede the care of injured children in the emergency department, according to a study to be presented Saturday, April 28, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.

Racial differences found in care of children in ED

BOSTON – Black children are less likely than white children to receive medication for abdominal pain in the emergency department (ED) even when they report severe pain, according to a study to be presented Saturday, April 28, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.

New standards for treating traumatic shoulder injuries to improve patient care

Traumatic shoulder injuries that result in a patient visit to the ER often contain a secondary injury that can cause pain and discomfort in that part of the body after the primary injury has healed. By focusing on the primary injury, radiologists sometimes miss the secondary injury, which can compromise treatment effectiveness. Trainees in the Brigham and Women's Hospital Radiology Residency Program developed new protocols aimed at drawing ER radiologists' attention to the potential presence of secondary should injuries.

Adolescents with cancer concerned about their future reproductive health

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues have found that adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer have strong concerns about their ability to have children as cancer survivors. They also found that standard health-related quality-of-life survey tools used to elicit answers from teens with cancer did not accurately reflect these concerns. Parents, who often answer survey questions as proxies, often inaccurately relayed their child's reproductive concerns.

Golden potential for gold thin films

Scientists with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have directed the first self-assembly of nanoparticles into device-ready materials. Through a relatively easy and inexpensive technique based on blending nanoparticles with block co-polymer supramolecules, the researchers produced multiple-layers of thin films from highly ordered one-, two- and three-dimensional arrays of gold nanoparticles.

Deadly decision: Obese drivers are far less likely to buckle up

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Obese drivers are far less likely to wear seatbelts than are drivers of normal weight, a new University at Buffalo study has found, a behavior that puts them at greater risk of severe injury or death during motor vehicle crashes.

Starting puberty very early carries risks of psychological problems, suggests new review

Girls who start puberty very early are more likely to have psychological problems and be at risk of sexual abuse and early pregnancy, suggests a new review published today (27 April) in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG).

Puberty is characterised by the maturation of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis, which plays a critical part in the development and regulation of the reproductive system.

Doubts over long term impact of group education for diabetes patients

Research: Effectiveness of a diabetes education and self management programme (DESMOND) for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus: Three year follow-up of a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.

The benefits of a one-off group education programme for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are not sustained over the long term, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.

Does technique that removes additional toxins benefit dialysis patients?

Highlights

For binge drinkers, even relatively minor burns can lead to serious complications

MAYWOOD, Il. -- A Loyola University Medical Center study has found that binge drinking may slow recovery and increase medical costs for survivors of burn injuries. The study was presented during the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association in Seattle.

Fetal membrane transplantation prevents blindness

MAYWOOD, Il. - Transplanting tissue from newborn fetal membranes prevents blindness in patients with a devastating disease called Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a Loyola University Medical Center study has found.

The study by senior author Charles Bouchard, MD, and colleagues is published online ahead of print in the journal Cornea.

Text messages help patients with long term conditions stick to their meds

[The effectiveness of interventions using electronic reminders to improve adherence to chronic medication: a systematic review of the literature Online First doi 10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000748]

Text message prompts can help patients living with long term conditions stick to their treatment programmes - at least in the short term - indicates a review of the available evidence, published online in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Scripps Research Institute scientists solve a mystery of bacterial growth and resistance

LA JOLLA, CA – April 26, 2012 – Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have unraveled a complex chemical pathway that enables bacteria to form clusters called biofilms. Such improved understanding might eventually aid the development of new treatments targeting biofilms, which are involved in a wide variety of human infections and help bacteria resist antibiotics.

The report, published online ahead of print on April 26, 2012, by the journal Molecular Cell, explains how nitric oxide, a signaling molecule involved in the immune system, leads to biofilm formation.

Artificial hips find some sports wearing

A growing number of patients want to return to sport, and in some cases high-impact sports like jogging and soccer, after total hip replacement (or arthroplasty) operations. Although many surgeons already recommend certain activities more than others, little research has been performed to confirm whether these recommendations will reduce the lifespan of the artificial joint.