Culture

Florence, Italy - 13 May 2016: Myocardial fibrosis could be a future therapeutic target after researchers found it correlated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) referred for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). The study was presented today at EuroCMR 2016 by Dr Yaron Fridman, a cardiology fellow at the Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.1

Florence, Italy - 13 May 2016: A new technique for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging improves accuracy by removing patients' need to breathe, reveals research presented today at EuroCMR 2016 by Professor Juerg Schwitter, director of the Cardiac MR Centre at the University Hospital Lausanne, Switzerland.1 The lack of motion allows acquisition of higher quality images in less time.

TORONTO, May 12, 2016 - A new Canadian study focusing on caregiver outcomes of critically ill patients reveals that caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, who have received mechanical ventilation for a minimum of seven days, are at a high risk of developing clinical depression persisting up to one year after discharge.

Abortion rates have declined significantly over the last 25 years in developed countries and are at a historic low. But in developing countries, where many abortions are unsafe, rates have remained level, highlighting the urgent need for better access to modern contraception (eg, hormonal pill, implants, IUDs) to reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

As the world grows more social and connects more online, privacy management is becoming more collaborative, according to Penn State researchers.

"This is a paradigm shift, in a lot of ways, because most people think of privacy as being individualistic, but privacy is no longer just about the individual, it's also a collaborative and coordinated process," said Haiyan Jia, a postdoctoral scholar in information sciences and technology.

Physician-researchers in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati have developed a computerized decision support tool that uses a combination of patient information and characteristics to assist physicians and patients with decisions about blood thinning treatment to prevent strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation.

Dieters looking to cut calories may believe it's best to pick a fast casual restaurant over a fast food chain, but new research from the University of South Carolina shows that may not be the best choice.

According to researchers from the Arnold School of Public Health, entrées at fast casual restaurants -- a category that includes restaurants such as Chipotle and Panera Bread -- have a higher average calorie count than fast food establishments, such as a McDonald's or Bojangles.

Patients living in rural areas are more likely to be older, overweight and less physically active--all risk factors for orthopaedic conditions. And yet, with few orthopaedic surgeons practicing in rural areas, access to care is limited. A new study in the May 4 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery assessed the impact of visiting consultant clinics (VCCs), staffed by orthopaedic surgeons, who routinely travel to meet with patients in rural areas.

For millions of Americans at risk for blood clots, strokes and hypertension, routine lab tests to monitor blood-thinning medications can be frequent, costly and painful.

Two professors in a laboratory looking at a slide togetherAndrew Steckl with his student researcher Hua Li

But researchers at the University of Cincinnati -- supported by the National Science Foundation -- are developing materials and technology for a simple in-home screening that could be a game changer for patients with several life-threatening conditions.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Lower social cohesion among neighbors and higher crime rates contribute to higher rates of psychotic symptoms among urban children, a new study from researchers at Duke University and King's College London finds.

Previous research has also identified higher rates of psychotic symptoms among children in cities. The new study, available online this week in Schizophrenia Bulletin, is the first to examine why.

Philadelphia, May 12, 2016 - In a new national survey of asthma patients, Health Union, and its new online community Asthma.net, reveals that most were satisfied with the care they received; however, the most frequently used form of treatment, at 89%, is the rescue inhaler. The results also show the difficult path many people have prior to being correctly diagnosed with asthma.

Stem cells could one day be stimulated to make a special type of cartilage to help repair large, hard-to-heal bone fractures - a potential boon for doctors treating big-money athletes, USC researchers say.

Gage Crump, senior author, and his colleagues used the regeneration of zebrafish jawbone to show that the processes required for embryonic development are not necessarily repeated during regeneration of damaged body parts like fractured bones. The study was published online in Development last month.

PHILADELPHIA - May 11, 2016 - According to research published today in PLOS ONE, treating high-risk hospitalized patients for sleep apnea may decrease the frequency of emergency rescues from hospital personnel, known as rapid response events.

Music fans' emotions could be used to help them find new songs online, according to research at the University of Strathclyde.

A study of 150 music videos made by U2 fans uncovered a range of methods, both visual and musical, used to convey emotion, through location, style of music and video content.

Dr Diane Pennington, a Lecturer in Strathclyde's Department of Computer and Information Sciences, carried out the research. She said: "Although music holds no emotion in itself, it can elicit very deep emotions in listeners and performers."

WASHINGTON - As plaque accumulates on the inside of arteries, it can cause the arteries to thicken and harden. When that plaque ruptures, it can ultimately block blood flow and lead to a heart attack, stroke or other problem throughout the body.

The condition, known as atherosclerosis, is a major form of cardiovascular disease, which over the past century has become the leading cause of death worldwide. Currently, no imaging tools are available to consistently and accurately diagnose plaque at risk of rupturing in living patients.