Culture | Page 1710 | Science Codex

Protein in, ammonia out

Ammonia gas packs quite the smelly punch. In small doses, it's what makes smelling salts so effective. But high levels of ammonia can be a health hazard and a pollutant.

Dairy farms are one of the major sources of ammonia emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that dairy farms contributed more than 20% of the ammonia emitted from animal husbandry operations in 2015.

Now, a recent study has compiled and analyzed data from 25 previous studies. Researchers honed in on factors that influence how much ammonia dairy barns emit.

Certain red flags indicate an increased need for intensive care among patients with asthma

In patients admitted to the hospital for asthma, illicit drug use and low socioeconomic status were linked with an increased risk of requiring admission to the intensive care unit. Not adhering to asthma prevention medication further increased this risk.

The study included 482 asthma patients admitted to the hospital between January 2010 and January 2014. Of these patients, 39 required intensive care.

The findings may help clinicians assess asthma patients' risks and monitor their health during hospitalizations.

Antidepressant does not reduce hospitalization, death for HF patients with depression

In a study appearing in the June 28 issue of JAMA, Christiane E. Angermann, M.D., of University Hospital Wurzburg, Germany, and colleagues examined whether 24 months of treatment with the antidepressant escitalopram would improve mortality, illness, and mood in patients with chronic heart failure and depression.

Rehab therapy while in ICU for respiratory failure does not reduce hospital length of stay

In a study appearing in the June 28 issue of JAMA, Peter E. Morris, M.D., of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and colleagues compared outcomes for standardized rehabilitation therapy to usual intensive care unit (ICU) care for acute respiratory failure.

European Medicines Agency talks to doctors and industry about revising trial design

Sophia Antipolis, June 29, 2016: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has discussed its concept paper for evaluating trial results on treatments for acute coronary syndromes with doctors and drug companies. The conclusions are published today in European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care.1

Medical device regulation in the EU and US needs urgent reform, say experts

Medical devices approved first in the European Union (EU) are associated with a greater rate of safety issues, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Clinical trial results for many new medical devices that could guide treatment decisions also remain unpublished or unavailable up to five years after approval, the findings show.

As such, the researchers call for greater regulatory transparency to enable patients and clinicians to make informed decisions about treatment.

Latest research on physical therapy in ICU setting a 'surprising reversal'

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 28, 2016) -- In a surprising reversal, researchers have determined that a particular protocol providing physical therapy to ICU patients with acute respiratory failure did not shorten hospital length of stay.

Secondary measures of physical function and health-related quality of life were split.

The study, which is the largest to-date on this topic, was not able to confirm the findings from earlier pilot and quality improvement studies.

Irritable bowel syndrome patients often go without medical care and self-treat

Philadelphia, June 28, 2016 - A new national survey by Health Union of more than 1,000 individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) reveals that the condition is difficult to diagnose and often even more difficult to treat. Respondents often found healthcare providers and the public in general lacking in empathy and understanding of the full impact of the disease.

Lab-tested diagnosis needed when treating patients with persistent diarrhea

HOUSTON - (June 28, 2016) - Persistent diarrhea, which is diarrhea that lasts at least 14 days, is an illness typically caused by parasites or bacteria and requires accurate diagnosis in order to determine what treatment to give, according to Herbert L. DuPont, M.D., director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.

Childhood binge eating: Families, feeding, and feelings

URBANA, Ill. - Binge eating is the most prevalent type of eating disorder across races, ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Surprisingly, binge eating has even been reported in children as young as 5 years old.

Daily 'soak and smear' or steer clear?

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL (June 29, 2016) - If you have a child with newly-diagnosed eczema, you may be wondering how often you should bathe him. You are not alone. For more than 100 years, doctors have been asked about the risks and benefits of frequent bathing for those with atopic dermatitis (eczema). And parents haven't gotten consistent responses.

Patient-centered approach to collect sexual orientation and gender ID information studied

Routine documentation of sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) information in health care settings is essential for a complete understanding of the health status and needs of individual patients, but, a standard method for routinely collecting the data has not been implemented, and patient preferences regarding collection of this information have not been previously studied.

Researcher finds 'ghost workers' common in migrant farm work

New research by Sarah Horton, an anthropologist at the University of Colorado Denver, reveals that employers in agricultural industries often take advantage of migrants' inability to work legally by making their employment contingent upon working under the false or borrowed identity documents provided by employers.

Horton's study, published this month in the Anthropology of Work Review, shows that many employers provide employees who do not have legal status with the valid work authorization documents of their friends or family.

Novel lipid lowering medication improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes

PHILADELPHIA - High triglycerides -- a type of fat, or lipid, in the blood -- increase the risk of heart disease and perhaps type 2 diabetes. For the first time, it has been shown that profoundly lowering triglycerides in diabetics improves their insulin sensitivity over time, which helps them maintain healthy glucose - blood sugar -- levels.

Car ownership has the biggest influence over how much Londoners exercise while traveling

Oxford, June 28, 2016 - Owning a car or bicycle has the strongest influence on how much active travel a Londoner engages in. Car ownership leaves them two to three times less likely to travel actively. And in Outer London, simply owning a bicycle makes you more likely to get 30 minutes of active travel in, even if you have not used it recently. These findings, published in a study in the Journal of Transport & Health, will help policymakers better target interventions to promote active travel.