Tech | Page 1573 | Science Codex

Study clarifies needs of rural-dwelling elderly

A novel project set in a rural community near Rochester, N.Y., to screen elderly people for unmet needs showed that, indeed, there is a great opportunity to match older adults with professional assistance. This new model of care for rural-dwelling adults is described this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The University of Rochester Medical Center, Livingston County Department of Health and Office for the Aging, and the Genesee Valley Health Partnership collaborated to create this program, called Livingston Help for Seniors.

Analysis shows stress on clinicians can be effectively measured

CINCINNATI—It's no surprise that being a physician is a very stressful job and carries a lot of responsibility with it.

But two new studies from researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) indicate that the stressors arising from work in the clinic, where physicians are seeing patients one-on-one, can effectively be measured with hopes of improving patient care and physician job satisfaction.

Growing sorghum for biofuel

MADISON, WI November 8, 2010 -- Conversion of sorghum grass to ethanol has increased with the interest in renewable fuel sources. Researchers at Iowa State University examined 12 varieties of sorghum grass grown in single and double cropping systems. The experiment was designed to test the efficiency of double cropping sorghum grass to increase its yield for biofuel production.

Out-sniffing bomb-sniffing dogs

Out-sniffing bomb-sniffing dogs

Dogs have long been called man's best bomb detector –– until now.

Looking for wireless? Try a local farm

Looking for wireless? Try a local farm

While Tarpley's research focuses on wireless monitoring during the growing season, another system has been developed for use during cotton harvest time, according to Dr. Alex Thomasson, AgriLife Research agricultural engineer.

By reducing disease risk, 'Desktop Medicine' will transform the practice of medicine

Gone are the days when a doctor's only way of helping patients is by treating the disease after symptoms have started. Instead, a new approach to medicine, called "Desktop Medicine" is emerging, in which the emphasis shifts from diagnosing diseases and treating symptoms to identifying risk-factors for medical conditions such as hypertension and osteoporosis, and intervening before they develop. The commentary appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

New highly stable fuel-cell catalyst gets strength from its nano core

UPTON, NY - Stop-and-go driving can wear on your nerves, but it really does a number on the precious platinum that drives reactions in automotive fuel cells. Before large fleets of fuel-cell-powered vehicles can hit the road, scientists will have to find a way to protect the platinum, the most expensive component of fuel-cell technology, and to reduce the amount needed to make catalytically active electrodes.

Fructose-rich beverages associated with increased risk of gout in women

Consumption of fructose-rich beverages, such as sugar-sweetened sodas and orange juice is associated with an increased risk of gout among women, although their contribution to the risk of gout in the population is likely modest because of the low incidence rate among women, according to a study that will appear in the November 24 print edition of JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting.

APHA 2010: College days -- more sedentary days

During college years, students become more sedentary and as their physical activity levels decrease, Body Mass Index and weight increase.

"Basically, students came out of college significantly less active and heavier compared to the start of their freshman year," said Jeanne Johnston, assistant professor in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. "But it is a gradual process."

APHA 2010: Attacking the drinking culture on college campuses from different directions

A multi-tiered effort designed to stem binge drinking at a large university and to change the drinking culture among its students produced notable results during the 2.5 years of an Indiana University study.

Freshmen living on campus showed significant drops in the average number of drinks consumed in a week; in the percentage who drank at least once a week in the last year; and in the proportion of students who engaged in binge drinking in the previous week.

Changing family behavior helps schizophrenic patients avoid relapse

Working to change the behaviour of family members may be an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia, according to a new Cochrane systematic review. The researchers reviewed the most up-to-date evidence on the subject and found that patients whose families received the interventions were less likely to relapse.

Ecologists get fish eye view of sexual signals

Carotenoid pigments are the source of many of the animal kingdom's most vivid colours; flamingos' pink feathers come from eating carotenoid-containing shrimps and algae, and carotenoid colours can be seen among garden birds in blackbirds' orange beaks and blue tits' yellow breast feathers.

These pigments play a crucial role in sexual signals. According to the study's lead author Dr Tom Pike of the University of Exeter: "Females typically use carotenoid colours to assess the quality of a potential mate, with more colourful males generally being regarded as the most attractive."

Text messaging improves health of Kenyans with HIV: UBC researcher

A simple "how are you" delivered weekly through cell phone text messaging (SMS) increases the likelihood that Kenyans with HIV will stay healthy and follow their medication regimen, while reducing the spread of the disease, according to a new study led by a University of British Columbia researcher.

Published online today in The Lancet, the study found that patients in Kenya who received weekly SMS “check-ins” were 12 per cent more likely than a control group to have an undetectable level of the HIV virus a year after starting antiretroviral (ART) treatment.

New brief tool to screen for cognitive impairment in elderly patients

BOSTON—Dementia and cognitive impairment are widespread among elderly individuals in the United States, affecting more than 8 million people to some degree.

Computer-automated monitoring system may help identify medical devices with potential safety risks

Implementation in Massachusetts of a computer-automated safety surveillance system of clinical outcomes registries for cardiovascular devices resulted in the identification of a drug-releasing stent that had significantly higher rates of major adverse cardiac events than similar stents, according to a study in the November 10 issue of JAMA. The findings indicate that this type of system appears feasible and useful in identifying new cardiovascular devices with early low-frequency potential safety issues that are not observed in premarket approval studies.