Culture | Science Codex

UC research suggests focusing on property owners to reduce police calls to rental properties

University of Cincinnati researchers have examined calls for police service from apartment complexes, rental units, extended-stay hotels/motels and shopping centers in several Ohio communities in order to identify geographic areas most in need of assistance and suggest programs to reduce call volume.

For instance, in Middletown, Ohio, the researchers initially analyzed police calls for service to determine whether residents in Section 8 housing required a disproportionate amount of police resources.

Happy consumers like being told what to buy

Oprah got this one right; consumers like being told what to buy, at least when it comes to pleasurable products or services, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. However, banks and insurance agencies should mind their manners.

If consumers are close to fitness goals, do they prefer a larger or limited variety of products?

Consumers who believe they are making progress toward their goals are motivated by limited product variety, unlike people who think they are further from their goals, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Put yourself in someone elses shoes: What type of perspective makes consumers self-conscious?

Certain emotions are heightened when we view ourselves from a first-person perspective, while others amplify when we observe ourselves from the outside, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Putting stroke patients in charge improves quality of life

Community rehabilitation interventions for stroke patients have not had a great track record of delivering measurable improvements. But new research from New Zealand focused on Maori and Pacific populations shows how a cheap and simple intervention that puts the patient and families in charge can make a difference to their quality of life. The study can be found in the journal Clinical Rehabilitation, which is published by SAGE.

EHJ paper underlines need for improved links between cardiologists and psychiatrists

Sophia Antipolis, 15 November 2011: People taking anti-psychotic drugs and anti-depressant drugs have a much higher risk of dying during an acute coronary event of a fatal arrhythmia than the rest of the population, finds a Finnish study published in the European Heart Journal.1

The study showed that the combined use of both antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs was associated with an even greater risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) during a coronary event.

Prenatal quality initiative improves patient safety

A new study published in the Journal for Healthcare Quality reveals that a multifaceted quality initiative can significantly reduce adverse obstetric outcomes, thereby improving patient safety and enhancing staff and patient experiences.

Led by Adiel Fleischer, MD, Chairman of Ob/Gyn at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center, researchers designed a program to improve perinatal safety initiatives.

Niacin does not reduce heart attack, stroke risk in stable CV patients

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In patients whose bad cholesterol is very well-controlled by statins for a long time period, the addition of high-dose, extended release niacin did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

That is the finding being reported today (Nov. 15) at the American Heart Association annual meeting by the study's co-principal investigator, University at Buffalo professor of medicine William E. Boden, MD; the results are also being published as the lead article in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

Erectile dysfunction study shows high prevalence of peripheral neuropathy

Spanish researchers have uncovered clear links between erectile dysfunction (ED) and peripheral neuropathy, according to a paper in the December issue of the urology journal BJUI.

"Up to now the impact of damaged nerves in the peripheral nervous system on ED has been underestimated" says lead author Dr ConsueloValles-Antuña, from the Department of Neurophysiology at the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias in Oviedo.

Atherosclerotic plaques' downstream spread linked to low shear stress

In human coronary arteries, atherosclerotic plaques tend to spread downstream because of the changes in blood flow patterns the plaque causes, researchers have found.

This insight comes from a study of fluid dynamics in the arteries of people being treated for coronary artery disease. The results are being presented Tuesday, Nov. 15 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions meeting in Orlando.

New test for coronary artery disease linked to higher rates of cardiac procedures and greater costs

STANFORD, Calif. — A new, noninvasive diagnostic test for coronary artery disease is associated with a higher rate of subsequent invasive cardiac procedures and higher health-care spending. That's according to an observational study of Medicare recipients conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Study evaluates 'normal range' systolic bp levels after ischemic stroke and risk of recurrent stroke

CHICAGO – Among patients who experienced an ischemic stroke, systolic blood pressure levels of less than 120 mm Hg, or higher than 140 mm Hg, were associated with an increased risk of subsequent stroke, according to a study appearing in the November 16 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on cardiovascular disease. This issue is being released early online to coincide with the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

Vascular risk linked to long-term antiepileptic drug therapy

New research reveals that patients with epilepsy who were treated for extended periods with older generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may be at increased risk for developing atherosclerosis, a common disorder known as hardening of the arteries. According to the findings now available in Epilepsia, the journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the vascular risk is significantly associated with the duration of AED monotherapy.

Heart patients who take vitamins less likely to take medication as prescribed, according to study

SALT LAKE CITY – Atrial Fibrillation patients who are prescribed the powerful blood thinner warfarin often take it with vitamins or supplements that can hamper its effectiveness, or skip doses completely, increasing their risk for stroke, according to new research.

The study, jointly conducted by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and registered dieticians from Utah State University, also suggests these same patients don't know much about this powerful blood thinner and why they need to take it as directed.

Talking therapy over the phone improves symptoms of chronic widespread pain

Patients who received a short course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) over the telephone from trained therapists reported that they felt "better" or "very much better" at the end of a six-month treatment period, and also three months after it ended.

The Arthritis Research UK-funded trial led by the University of Aberdeen working with the University of Manchester was the first-ever trial of telephone-delivered CBT for people with chronic widespread pain.