Culture | Page 1727 | Science Codex

New way of growing blood vessels could boost regenerative medicine

In addition the technique to grow the blood vessels in a 3D scaffold cuts down on the risk of transplant rejection because it uses cells from the patient. It was developed by researchers from the University of Bath's Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, working with colleagues at Bristol Heart Institute.

The study is published in Scientific Reports.

So far the shortage of adequate patient-derived scaffolds that can support blood vessel growth has been a major limitation for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

Optics breakthrough to revamp night vision

A breakthrough by an Australian collaboration of researchers could make infra-red technology easy-to-use and cheap, potentially saving millions of dollars in defence and other areas using sensing devices, and boosting applications of technology to a host of new areas, such as agriculture.

Infra-red devices are used for improved vision through fog and for night vision and for observations not possible with visible light; high-quality detectors cost approximately $100,000 (including the device at the University of Sydney) some require cooling to -200°C.

Lessons today's banks should take from Great Depression Chicago

LONDON, 24 May 2016: New research from the University of Warwick serves as a warning to banks not to over invest in mortgages.

The study was conducted by Dr Natacha Postel-Vinay who examined the state of banks in 1920s Chicago, the city which had the highest urban bank failure rate in the Great Depression.

Does discrimination contribute to lower rates of flu vaccination in racial/ethnic minorities?

May 24, 2016 - Yearly flu shots are strongly recommended for adults with certain chronic illnesses, but patients of racial/ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive them. Perceived discrimination may be a contributing factor, but can't completely explain the racial/ethnic disparity, reports a study in the June issue of Medical Care. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Rice de-icer gains anti-icing properties

Rice University scientists have advanced their graphene-based de-icer to serve a dual purpose. The new material still melts ice from wings and wires when conditions get too cold. But if the air is above 7 degrees Fahrenheit, ice won't form at all.

Use of video decision aids increases advance care planning in Hilo, Hawaii

A program encouraging physicians and other providers to discuss with patients their preferences regarding end-of-life care significantly increased the documented incidence of such conversations and the number of patients with late-stage disease who were discharged to hospice. In a Journal of General Internal Medicine paper that has been released online, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators describes the pilot program, which is part of a larger initiative to transform medical care for serious illness in the state of Hawaii.

Using cellphone data to study the spread of cholera

While cholera has hardly changed over the past centuries, the tools used to study it have not ceased to evolve. Using mobile phone records of 150,000 users, an EPFL-led study has shown to what extent human mobility patterns contributed to the spread of a cholera epidemic in Senegal in 2005.

Does sepsis keep killing months later?

It's known that many patients die in the months and years after sepsis.

But no one has known if this increased risk of death (in the 30 days to 2 years after sepsis) is because of sepsis itself, or because of the pre-existing health conditions the patient had before acquiring the complication. After all, patients with more medical problems are more likely to develop sepsis.

Scientists find sustainable solutions for oysters in the future by looking into the past

Oysters are keystone organisms in estuaries around the world, influencing water quality, constructing habitat and providing food for humans and wildlife. Yet their populations in the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere have dramatically declined after more than a century of overfishing, pollution, disease and habitat degradation. Smithsonian scientists and colleagues, however, have conducted the first bay-wide, millennial-scale study of oyster harvesting in the Chesapeake, revealing a sustainable model for future oyster restoration.

How our emotions affect store prices

Let's say you've just found a nice jacket in a store and are deciding whether to buy it. It's a little pricey, so should you wait and hope it goes on sale in the future? Perhaps. Then again, the jacket might go out of stock before that happens, and you might never acquire it at all. Is it worth paying more now to avoid that feeling of regret?

UTHealth study finds e-cigarette marketing linked to teen e-cigarette use

HOUSTON - (May 23, 2016) - Exposure to e-cigarette marketing messages is significantly associated with e-cigarette use among middle school and high school students, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The study will be published in the June print edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

One-third of heart failure patients do not return to work

One-third of heart failure patients do not return to work
Return to work more likely in men, younger patients, and those with higher education level
Topics: Heart failure, cardiac rehabilitation

Blood test uncovers undiagnosed diabetes in hospital patients with high blood sugar

A retrospective review of medical records found the HbA1C test, commonly used to diagnose and manage diabetes, can effectively detect hidden disease among hospital patients with hyperglycemia, commonly known as high blood sugar.

Flu vaccination associated with lower dementia risk in patients with heart failure

Florence, Italy - 23 May 2016: Influenza vaccination is associated with a lower risk of dementia in patients with heart failure, according to a study in more than 20 000 patients presented today at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure by Dr Ju-Chi Liu, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Medical University - Shuang Ho Hospital, in New Taipei City, Taiwan.1

Flu jab associated with fewer hospitalizations in patients with heart failure

Florence, Italy - 23 May 2016: The flu jab is associated with a reduced risk of hospitalisation in patients with heart failure, according to research presented today in a late breaking trial session at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure.1

The study in about 60 000 patients ends the controversy over influenza vaccination in heart failure patients and provides more robust evidence for current recommendations.