Culture | Page 2749 | Science Codex

Combat exposure may hypertension and high blood pressure

A survey of American servicemen and women who reported experiencing multiple combat exposures were more likely to self-report high blood pressure than military members not exposed to combat, according to research reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

In a new population-based prospective study, researchers analyzed 36,061 service members, including a sub-group of 8,829 deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2003. After a three-year follow-up, researchers found that:

Intersex fish found in US Rivers

Intersex in smallmouth and largemouth basses is widespread in numerous river basins throughout the United States, according to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research published in Aquatic Toxicology.

New research analyzes the corporate attorney-client privilege

Due to the evolutionary legal landscape, corporate lawyers now find themselves relying on information and guidance from non-legal advisers like accountants, investment bankers, and public relations professionals. This aids the lawyer in providing well-rounded legal advice to their clients. In response to this trend, federal courts currently disagree on the appropriate measurement to analyze the attorney-client privilege when communications involve outside consultants.

PTSD rate in in Iraq troops climbs as treatment lags

The Veterans' Administration should expect a high volume of Iraq veterans seeking treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, with researchers anticipating that the rate among armed forces will be as high as 35%, according to the Management Insights feature in the current issue of Management Science, the journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.

Psychologists say trust in authority based on gut reaction, not thoughtful consideration

In a world filled with dogma, doctrine and discipline, it is accurate to say most of us strive to do what we believe is "right." These convictions and beliefs permeate every aspect of our lives, including education, ethics and even common law.

Patients airlifted to hospital risk critical medical event in helicopter

During air-medical transport of acutely-ill patients, 1 in 20 experience a critical event such as death, major resuscitation, or blood pressure deterioration according to a new study http://www.cmaj.ca/press/cmaj080886.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

The study looked at 19,228 transported adult patients in Ontario, Canada, and sought to identify factors that are associated with in-transit adverse events.

Doctors say cutting sodium consumption essential to promoting public health

Reducing sodium intake is a major public health priority that must be acted upon by governments and nongovernmental organizations to improve population health, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Higher blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a diet high in sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, vascular and cardiac damage, stomach cancer, osteoporosis and other diseases. Almost 1 billion adults worldwide have hypertension, and 17-30% of these cases can be attributed to excessive sodium consumption.

1500-year-old Aphrodite figurines discovered in Hippos

A 1,500-year-old treasure:Three figurines of Aphrodite, goddess of love, hidden during the era of the Roman Empire's transition to Christianity, discovered in Hippos (Sussita)*During the tenth season of excavations, under the directorship of Prof. Arthur Segal and Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the University of Haifa, a public building was also exposed, the first of its kind in Israel.*

Researchers say many breast cancer patients unaware of treatment options

A new study finds that there is little information available about the use of new testing technologies and targeted therapies in breast cancer, specifically the anti-cancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin). Published in the November 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the review suggests that many breast cancer patients who may benefit from trastuzumab are not receiving it, and that some women receiving the drug have never been tested for the receptor it targets.

After years of toil, sustaining change in education still a vexing problem

Researchers in the Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education (CEMSE) this year finished poring over more than 65,000 abstracts and nearly 600 full-text articles for insights regarding how to make lasting change in the literature of education, health, marketing, business and economics.

One of the articles pertained to sunscreen use in Australia. The article reported that it took 10 years for the researchers to see a positive change in sunscreen use.

Democrats seen as the 'undeserving rich' face rejection by party voters

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In a recent study, researchers from several universities looked at why white working-class voters voted Republican in recent national elections even when they didn't like Republican policies.

The study, "The Undeserving Rich: 'Moral Values' and the White Working Class," is in the current issue of Sociological Forum, available online at http://tinyurl.com/qyefm9.

Fewer injection site reactions in patients using Avonex

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Sept. 11, 2009 – Data from an observational phase IV study of 499 patients entitled The Swiss MS Skin Project show that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking AVONEX (interferon beta-1a IM) reported significantly fewer injection site reactions (ISRs) compared to patients on Betaferon® (interferon beta-1b), Copaxone® (glatiramer Acetate) or Rebif ® (interferon beta-1a). The study also showed AVONEX patients were less likely to have missed a dose due to an injection site reaction in the four weeks prior to first assessment than those patients on other interferon therapies.

Patients taking Tysabri report improvement in physical and psychological well-being over time

Düsseldorf, Germany – Sept. 11, 2009 – Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) today announced six-month results of an ongoing, one-year longitudinal, observational, patient-reported outcomes study showing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking TYSABRI® (natalizumab) experienced an improvement in both their physical function and psychological well-being. Findings from the study, which was performed in conjunction with HealthCore Inc., a health-outcomes research company, are the first attempt to assess patient experiences with TYSABRI in usual-care settings.

Instanyl sets new standard in management of breakthrough cancer pain

Lisbon, Portugal 11 September, 2009 – New data presented today further demonstrate the efficacy of Instanyl in management of breakthrough cancer pain. The data which were presented at the 6th congress of the European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain (EFIC) are from a multinational, crossover trial comparing Instanyl with oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) for the treatment of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer. The study concludes that pain relief was significantly greater for Instanyl compared to OTFC at all time points:

Archaeology meets mythology in Mycenean Pylos

Clearing thick brush from a mound at his archaeological dig site in Pylos, Greece, Michael Cosmopoulos found a real-life palace dating back to the mythical Trojan War.

The palace is from the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 B.C.), famous for such mythical sagas as the Trojan War. It is thought to sit within one of the capital cities of King Nestor, a personality featured in the legends of the war.

Close-up of palace walls. Credit: University of Missouri-St.Louis