Culture | Page 1711 | Science Codex

Political pitfalls in handling Ebola may carry over to Zika

ANN ARBOR --If the United States responds to Zika the way it did to Ebola -- and early indications are that in many ways it is -- the country can expect missteps brought about by a lack of health care coordination and a lot of political finger pointing, according to an analysis by the University of Michigan.

Scott Greer of the U-M School of Public Health and colleagues studied the U.S. response to Ebola and found a fragmented system with no clear leadership, and considerable "strategic politicization" due to the outbreak's arrival during a midterm election year.

Heading to the hospital? Even with insurance, it may cost $1,000 or more, study finds

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Even if you have what you might think of as good health insurance, your next hospital stay could cost you more than $1,000 out of your own pocket.

And that amount has gone up sharply in recent years - a rise of more than 37 percent just for straightforward hospital stays for common conditions.

How to stop the United Nations from abusing its immunity

The passage of time can play cruel tricks on noble intentions. The person selected as the new United Nations (UN) Secretary-General later this year should keep this in mind as he or she evaluates how effectively the UN is responding to the challenges of the 21st century.

Study examines quality of end life care for patients with different illnesses

Families reported better quality of end-of-life care for patients with cancer or dementia than for patients with end-stage renal disease, cardiopulmonary failure or frailty because patients with cancer or dementia had higher rates of palliative care consultations and do-not-resuscitate orders and fewer died in hospital intensive care units, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

After Brexit, Italy May Be Next

On Thursday, the majority of the British people voted to leave the European Union, in a decision that shocked many observers. It was a slap in the face to the established political elites, the majority of whom had strongly supported the “Remain” campaign.

Should I stay or should I go?

Millions of people will likely be in harm's way as a new hurricane season unfolds in the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts up to eight hurricanes in the 2016 season, and as many as four major storms with winds of 111 miles per hour or more.

What people do - or don't do - to get out of harm's way is of keen interest to disaster and emergency response officials.

Depression decreases adherence to COPD maintenance medications

A recent study in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society found that in a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries who were newly diagnosed with COPD, adherence to maintenance medications decreased with new episodes of depression.

The use of non-fit messaging may improve patient choices

When it comes to helping patients make the best choices for themselves, sometimes you have to challenge their usual way of dealing with the world, according to new research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Regenerative medicine offering new treatment for bronchopleural fistulas

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- When current treatment isn't enough, patients at Mayo Clinic often are among the first to benefit from innovative therapies, new techniques and technologies. For the first time in human application, Mayo Clinic researchers successfully closed an open wound on the upper chest caused by postoperative complications of lung removal.

Called bronchopleural fistulas, these wounds are holes that lead from the large airways in the lungs to the membrane that lines the lungs. Standard surgical approaches for these fistulas induce poor health and death.

New devices causing 'paradigm shift' in stroke care

MAYWOOD, IL - New devices called stent retrievers, which effectively reverse strokes, have revolutionized the treatment of certain stroke patients, according to an article in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

Public's moral inconsistencies create dilemma for programming driverless cars

When it comes to autonomous cars, people generally approve of cars programmed to sacrifice their passengers to save others, but these same people are not enthusiastic about riding in such "utilitarian" vehicles themselves, a new survey reveals.

JBMR perspective: A crisis in the treatment of osteoporosis

WASHINGTON, DC (June 23, 2016) - The remarkable progress made over the past 30 years to reduce fractures and dramatically improve the quality of life for millions of osteoporosis patients is rapidly being reversed, say two bone health experts in a Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR) article published online today.

Could wearable biosensors become part of drug rehab programs?

There is merit in looking at the use of wearable biosensors to detect whether opioid users stay focused on their rehabilitation programs. This follows a preliminary study in Springer's Journal of Medical Toxicology led by Stephanie Carreiro of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the US. Her team tested the use of wristband sensors worn by a group of patients in an emergency room who were receiving opioids for severe pain relief.

Psychiatric diagnostic tools may not be valid for African-Americans

Depression in African Americans, according to Sirry Alang, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at Lehigh University, is expressed in ways that are inconsistent with symptoms of depression laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V).

Simple measures can reduce post-operative cognitive dysfunction in older patients

Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), a condition mostly observed in older patients following surgery under general anesthesia, is characterized by impaired memory and concentration. The impairment may be temporary or permanent and incapacitating.

The problem has become more frequent as the population ages and also as a growing number of older adults undergo surgical procedures made possible by more advanced medical technology. Data from the scientific literature suggest a rise in mortality from POCD in the first year after surgery under general anesthesia.