Culture | Page 2528 | Science Codex

Rhode Island and Miriam researchers say patient gender may influence nuclear stress test referrals

Researchers identify gender disparities in the appropriate use of nuclear stress tests
More women than men are unnecessarily referred for nuclear stress tests
Majority of inappropriate studies ordered by primary care physicians

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – New research from cardiologists at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals suggests a possible gender disparity in how patients are referred for nuclear stress tests, an imaging technique that measures blood flow to the heart muscle both at rest and during periods of stress, such as exercise.

MyCare -- the 'card' that could save your life

It looks like a credit card…it slips into a wallet or purse…but it could mean the difference between life and death in a medical emergency.

The MyCare Card stores personal medical data (e.g. information on existing medical conditions, allergies and medication being taken) and plugs into a laptop's USB port, enabling the data to be accessed in just a few moments.

It is the first device of its type to have been trialled in the UK.

USC: Active social, spiritual and physical life helps prevent health decline in seniors

Small, healthy lifestyle changes and involvement in meaningful activities—going beyond just diet and exercise—are critical to healthy aging, according to a new USC study.

Guided by lifestyle advisors, seniors participating in the study made small, sustainable changes in their routines (such as visiting a museum with a friend once a week) that led to measurable gains in quality of life, including lower rates of depression and better reported satisfaction with life.

Health and safety of low-skilled workers should be priority for migration policy

In the fourth article in a six-part PLoS Medicine series on migration & health, Joan Benach from the Employment Conditions Network at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues discuss the health risks and policy needs associated with migration to destination countries, especially for low-skilled workers. In destination countries, migrant workers often fill low- or semi-skilled positions in the labour market, which are often characterized by flexibility, insecurity, precarious employment, and long working hours with low pay.

Legalize prostitution, says sociologist

Montreal, June 7, 2011 – Sex work is unprotected, increasingly dangerous and needs to be decriminalized, according to a new report published in the Canadian Review of Sociology. Co-authored by Concordia University and University of Windsor researchers, the study calls for sweeping changes to sex work performed on and off the streets.

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong

In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings reported in the June issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another.

Smithsonian study: Stranding records are faithful reflection of live whale and dolphin populations

Whales are the earth's largest creatures, yet they are incredibly hard to study in the open ocean. For decades scientists have used boats, aircraft and even high cliffs to conduct visual surveys and gather data on whale and dolphin populations. Today, these live surveys form the basis of our knowledge of these marine mammals—what species live where in the world, which ones tend to live together and how abundantly they are represented.

Excessive pregnancy weight gain raises the risk of having a fat baby

Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy tend to have newborns with a high amount of body fat, regardless of the mother's weight before pregnancy, a new study finds. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

High fat at birth is a possible risk factor for childhood obesity, said the study's principal investigator, Jami Josefson, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital and assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Will the eel survive its management?

The European eel is on the way to disappearing for good. The species is critically endangered, and there are strong scientific arguments for suspending all fishing. Despite this situation, Swedish eel fishery is allowed to continue. Analysis of the eel management plan by the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment identifies clear shortcomings. It is unlikely that Sweden will meet the target that has been set for silver eels capable of migrating back to the Sargasso Sea so that they can contribute to regeneration.

Females who experienced combat showed mental resilience similar to men

WASHINGTON – Women are not allowed in the U.S. combat arms ground units but in a military campaign against terrorists everyone can be a combatant. An analysis of the response of females who experienced combat show they are as resilient as the men they serve alongside psychologically.

Judge not lest ye be: College students judge psychologists by their offices

COLUMBUS, Ohio – College students judge the quality and qualifications of psychotherapists simply by what their offices look like, a new study suggests. After only viewing photos of offices, they gave higher marks to psychotherapists whose offices were neat and orderly, decorated with soft touches like pillows and throw rugs, and which featured personal touches like diplomas and framed photos.

Prolonging life carries more weight

Los Angeles, CA (May 26, 2011) Doctors are more apt to recommend a more costly therapy to patients if it were determined to prolong the patient's life rather than just improve quality, according to a recent study from Medical Decision Making (published by SAGE).

Making healthcare more efficient: Many patients with advanced cancers get treatments that won't help

A study of more than 1,000 patients with colon cancer that had spread to distant sites found that one in eight was treated with at least one drug regimen that was not recommended. Those patients were exposed to significant risk without proven benefits, at an estimated cost—just for the drugs—of more than $2 million.

33-country survey reports 50 percent increase in sustainably managed tropical forests

BERN, SWITZERLAND (7 JUNE 2011)—A comprehensive assessment of tropical forest management reports a 50 percent increase in the area of tropical forest under sustainable management in just five years, but cautions that key drivers of that increase—growing demand for certified timber and funding for climate change initiatives—could have only a marginal impact in the long-term.

Virtual water: Junk math cannot remedy freshwater shortage

The implementation of 'virtual water' into trading deals has been touted as a solution to solving the global 'inequality' - deserts have less than other areas - of renewable freshwater, but new research recognizes that it won't work.