Culture | Page 1903 | Science Codex

Rubber Hand Illusion aids understanding of autism

New research could lead to a better understanding of how the brain works in people with autism. Little is known about the cognitive processes involved.

Researchers from Monash University and Deakin University looked at new hypotheses of autism that focused on the way in which the brain combines new information from its senses with prior knowledge about the environment. Using the 'rubber-hand' illusion, the researchers examined how adults with autism experienced 'ownership' of a fake prosthetic hand.

The effect of expanded midwifery on cesarean delivery

In a study to be presented Thursday in an oral plenary session, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in San Diego, researchers will report that changes to the labor and delivery care system can reduce cesarean delivery rates.

Confidence in government linked to willingness to vaccinate

A new study suggests that confidence in government may play a key role in the public's willingness to get at least some vaccines.

The study re-analyzed national survey data from 2009 that examined Americans' views on a then-new vaccine for the H1N1 virus - commonly known as swine flu.

Stress balls, watching movies and talking ease pain and anxiety during surgery

p>Being conscious during an operation can make patients feel anxious and is often painful. However, new research from the University of Surrey has found that simple distraction techniques, such as talking to a nurse, watching a DVD or using stress balls, can help patients to relax during varicose vein surgery and reduce their pain.

The study, published today in the European Journal of Pain, analysed 398 patients, splitting them into four groups.

The unique health impacts of stress shared by same-sex couples

Studies of stress and its effects on health have typically focused on the worries of an individual: money, love, health, work. But what about stress shared by two people in a romantic relationship?

Africa will feed itself within the next 15 years

Put innovative farming techniques in the right hands. CGIAR Climate, CC BY-NC-SA

Craigslist personal ads correlate to HIV trends

Craigslist's entry into a market results in a 15.9 percent increase in reported HIV cases, according to research from the University of Minnesota published in the December issue of MIS Quarterly. When mapped at the national level, more than 6,000 HIV cases annually and treatment costs estimated between $62 million and $65.3 million can be linked to the popular website.

The ethical impact of hospital advertising

If a hospital has the most advanced treatment or machine in the region, do you want to know about? The assumption is that the public is not going to be adequately served if they need to do studies of all local hospital before wanting to visit one. But people do research their illnesses. A national Pew Research Center survey indicated that 72 percent of adults searched the Internet for health information in the past year.

But, how reliable is that information and what are the ethical implications?

Study analyzes Internet, mobile and video game effects on young users

A study conducted by researchers at the UAB, the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) and the FPCEE Blanquerna (Ramon Llull University), and which included the methodological support of the Institute for Primary Healthcare Research (IDIAP Jordi Gol), has analysed the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by secondary school students, by using a sample of 5,538 students from the Vallès Occidental region of Catalonia. The study, based on surveys taken in the 2010/2011 academic year, finds links between school failure and an elevated use of computers at home.

'Vast majority' of neurosurgeons practice defensive medicine

More than three-fourths US neurosurgeons practice some form of defensive medicine--performing additional tests and procedures out of fear of malpractice lawsuits, reports a special article in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Hospitals may benefit from Six Sigma and Lean Management - whether they want it or not

No one likes to think of hospital patients like a factory assembly line but with more and more people competing for the same number of doctors, a lot of the patients entering the doors don't need "House" or to be tested for everything due to defensive medicine lawsuit defense policies.

Tweeting about sexism may improve wellbeing of women in college

In a recent study, 93 female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions regarding tweeting over a three day period. All participants received information over the three days regarding topical issues around sexism in politics, the media and in universities for them to tweet about. One group was required to tweet publicly, another privately and the third group did not tweet at all. They received no instructions regarding the number or the content of tweets they should undertake.

More than one-third of kids in England are overweight

More than a third of children in England are overweight/obese, finds a 20 year study of electronic health records, published online in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

But the rapid rise in prevalence may be starting to level off--at least in younger children--the findings indicate, although there are no grounds for complacency, warn the researchers.

Not so hard: 11 percent will join the 1 percent

The 1 percent don't get enough respect, it seems. It is mostly attributed to being a cheat or lucky but luck alone will not do it - there is only a 1 in 9 chance that a typical American will join the wealthiest 1 percent for even one year in their whole working life and only an elite few get to stay in that economic stratosphere.

The analysis was conducted by Mark Rank, PhD, the Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare at the Brown School at Washington University, and Tom Hirschl, PhD, professor of development sociology at Cornell.

Study: Blame men for political gridlock in Congress

"One implication is that female legislators might talk about politics and deliberately engage the other party more than their male colleagues," said Patrick Miller, a KU assistant professor of political science. "That might have some effects on the kind of legislative environment we have. Maybe if we have more women in office, you'd have more communication, less fighting, and perhaps more legislating and less gridlock."