Culture | Page 2464 | Science Codex

Study finds advances in breast cancer don't extend to older women

HOUSTON - The survival rates for older women with breast cancer lag behind younger women diagnosed with the disease, indicating that the elder population may be missing out on improvements in treatment and detection, according to new research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is one of the first to identify whether the improvements made in breast cancer outcomes over the past three decades have been experienced by women of all ages, or only by certain age subsets.

Hospital safety climate linked to both patient and nurse injuries: Drexel study

PHILADELPHIA (November 7, 2011)— A safe working environment for nurses is also a safe environment for the patients in their care, according to a new study led by public health researchers at Drexel University. Researchers, led by Dr. Jennifer Taylor, an assistant professor in Drexel's School of Public Health, found that safety climate was associated with both patient and nurse injuries, suggesting that patient and nurse safety may be linked outcomes. The study was published online in BMJ Quality and Safety in October.

Experimental drug suppresses rebound of hepatitis C virus in liver transplant patients

San Francisco — A human monoclonal antibody developed by MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) given to patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing liver transplantation significantly suppressed the virus for at least a week after transplant and delayed the time to viral rebound. Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study were presented this week at The Liver Meeting®, the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, in San Francisco.

Monkey mothers key to sons' reproductive success

MADISON -- If you are a male human, nothing puts a damper on romantic success like having your mother in tow. If you are a male northern muriqui monkey, however, mom's presence may be your best bet to find and successfully mate with just the right girl at the right time.

Delaware Fire Service offers important lessons for fire prevention programs nationwide

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy finds fire and life safety programs in Delaware offer a strategic, comprehensive and coordinated approach to fire prevention. The study, which involved in-depth interviews with members of the state's fire service, highlights the diversity of prevention initiatives underway in the state and documents how tradition, dedication, and a sense of community are keys to success for the program.

Lost in translation: Credit card bill notes curb cardholders' monthly payments

CHESTNUT HILL, MA (11/7/2011) – Credit card customers are likely to pay less toward their credit card debt because their monthly bills display information about the minimum required payment amount, American and British researchers report in the Journal of Marketing Research.

Castles in the desert - satellites reveal lost cities of Libya

Satellite imagery has uncovered new evidence of a lost civilization of the Sahara in Libya's south-western desert wastes that will help re-write the history of the country.

Using satellites and air-photographs to identify the remains in one of the most inhospitable parts of the desert, a British team has discovered more than 100 fortified farms and villages with castle-like structures and several towns, most dating between AD 1-500.

Study looks at predicting NFL betting lines

When bookmakers set the over/under line for NFL games they tend to give weight to the number of points a team scored in its immediate previous game. But that statistic is a poor predictor of the number of points to be scored in the next game.

That's what three researchers found when they analyzed over/under lines and the results of more than 190 National Football League games played in 2010 and the impacts of several variables used to set the betting line.

The economic cost of advanced liver disease

Health care costs for hepatitis C patients with end-stage liver disease are nearly 2.5 times higher than those in the early stages, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

Although infection with the hepatitis C virus increases health care costs overall, the specific impact of the disease's progressive severity on health care costs has previously not been well studied.

New study challenges accepted approaches to research in senile dementia (Alzheimer's disease)

Amsterdam, NL -- Impacting millions of families and devouring billions of dollars globally, Alzheimer's disease is the focus of exhaustive research to find a cure. Although intensely investigated over the last three decades using cutting-edge technologies, the "pathogenic cause" of Alzheimer's disease has not been found. While many research "breakthroughs" have been claimed and high-profile drugs trials carried out, why does the promised "cure" still seem to elude scientists?

Landmark survey reveals that most women who are done having children do not discuss their options with their OB/GYNs

Hollywood, FL, Nov. 7, 2011 – A recent first-of-its-kind survey of 1,006 mothers in the U.S. showed that more than 75 percent of women reported being done having children, but only 24 percent discussed this decision with their OB/GYNs. Without these important patient-physician conversations taking place, the survey found that women remain largely unaware of their permanent birth control options. In particular, the survey showed low awareness for non-surgical permanent birth control methods like the Essure procedure, which has been available in the U.S.

Most lupus nephritis patients with end-stage renal disease opt for hemodialysis therapy

Newly published research shows that more patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) caused by lupus nephritis choose hemodialysis as their initial kidney replacement therapy over peritoneal dialysis and preemptive kidney transplantation. Results of the study now available in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), also found that African Americans, Medicaid recipients, those without health insurance, and the unemployed had significantly reduced initiation of peritoneal dialysis.

Decrease in observed rate of TB at a time of economic recession

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the U.S. is reported as being on the decrease, however untreated infected people act as a reservoir for disease. Any pool of the world's population harboring this disease gives cause for concern, especially since the BCG vaccine is only 70-80% effective at best. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Public Health, shows that in 2009 the number of cases of TB reported across America was much lower than that recorded in previous years.

Study identifies factors linked with better medication response for treatment of juvenile arthritis

CHICAGO – Among patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who initiated treatment with the drug etanercept, one-third achieved an excellent response, and this response was associated with low measures of disability at study entry, younger age at the onset of JIA, and fewer disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs used before initiating etanercept, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Scientific Meeting.

Combined arterial imaging technology reveals both structural and metabolic details

A new device that combines two microimaging technologies can reveal both the detailed anatomy of arterial linings and biological activities that, in coronary arteries, could indicate the risk of heart attacks or the formation of clots in arterial stents.