Body

Warning of potential side effects of a product can increase its sales

Drug ads often warn of serious side effects, from nausea and bleeding to blindness, even death. New research suggests that, rather than scaring consumers away, these warnings can improve consumers' opinions and increase product sales when there is a delay between seeing the ad and deciding to buy or consume the product.

"Messages that warn consumers about potentially harmful side effects — presumably with the intent to nudge them to act more cautiously — can ironically backfire," says psychological scientist Ziv Carmon of INSEAD in Singapore.

Partner violence linked to specific drinking environments

Researchers have long known that violence toward spouses and partners increases with the frequency and volume of drinking. A study published today in the scientific journal Addiction shows that the context in which drinking occurs also appears to play a role in violence against partners, with male violence being linked to drinking away from home and female violence being linked to drinking at home.

Hospital trusts fall short of recommended standards on post mortem consent

Active informed consent became a key tenet of post mortem exam procedures following the organ retention scandals at Bristol Royal Infirmary and The Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, which prompted the enactment of the 2004 Human Tissue Act.

The Act stipulates that consent must be actively sought from either the individual while alive, or when this is not possible, from a nominated representative or close family member. Breaches of the law attract a prison sentence and a fine.

Large European study suggests men with type 1 diabetes are better at blood sugar control than women

Men with type 1 diabetes appear to be better at blood sugar control than women, but there is no significant difference in blood sugar control between boys and girls. These are the findings of new research presented at this week's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain. The research is by Professor Sarah Wild, University of Edinburgh, UK, and colleagues from the International quality of care for type 1 diabetes group.

American College of Physicians releases new recommendations for treating obstructive sleep apnea

PHILADELPHIA, September 24, 2013 -- People diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) should lose weight and use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as initial therapy, according to new recommendations from the American College of Physicians (ACP) published today in Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP's flagship journal.

ACP issues recommendations for treating obstructive sleep apnea

1. Guideline: ACP recommends weight loss and CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea*

*Sound bites and b-roll footage available. See bottom of page for feed dates, times, and coordinates

Reassuring findings for mothers who have influenza vaccine while pregnant

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Boston University, in collaboration with the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), have found evidence of the H1N1 influenza vaccine's safety during pregnancy. The national study, which was launched shortly after the H1N1 influenza outbreak of 2009, is summarized in two companion papers published online on September 19 in the journal Vaccine.

Some heart birth defects may increase children's heart infection risk

Children with certain heart birth defects may have an increased risk for bacterial infection of their heart's lining and valves, according to new research in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The risk for infection may also be increased in children with congenital heart defects who are under 3 or who've had cardiac surgery within the last six months.

Study compares types of insurance of nursing home residents and likelihood of being hospitalized

Elderly nursing home residents with advanced dementia who were enrolled in a Medicare managed care insurance plan were more likely to have do-not-hospitalize orders and were less likely to be hospitalized for acute illness than those residents enrolled in traditional Medicare, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

Results of a parental survey may help predict childhood immunization status

Scores on a survey to measure parental hesitancy about vaccinating their children were associated with immunization status, according to a study by Douglas J. Opel, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Research Institute, and colleagues.

Bedsharing associated with longer breastfeeding, study warns of bedsharing risk

Frequent bedsharing between a mother and infant was associated with longer duration of breastfeeding, but researchers warned of the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) associated with bedsharing, in a study by Yi Huang, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and colleagues.

Prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs associated with impaired fine motor skills

Prenatal exposure to antiepileptic medications was associated with an increased risk of impaired fine motor skills (small muscle movements) in children at age 6 months, but breastfeeding by women taking the medications was not associated with any harmful effects on child development at ages 6 to 36 months, according to a report published by JAMA Neurology, a JAMA Network publication.

Marriage associated with better cancer outcomes, study finds

BOSTON—People who are married when diagnosed with cancer live longer than those who are not, report researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Married patients also tended to have cancers diagnosed at an earlier stage – when it is often more successfully treated – and to receive more appropriate treatment.

The study's findings will be published online by the Journal of Clinical Oncology on Sept. 23.

Loyola study assesses use of fingerstick blood sample with i-STAT point-of-care device

Researchers have determined that fingerstick cardiac troponin I assay testing using thepoint-of-care i-STAT device is not accurate enough to determine the exact troponin level without the application of a corrective term.

The study was funded by the Department of Emergency Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center and was published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

The study was conducted by Devin Loewenstein, BS, Christine Stake, MA and Mark Cichon, DO of Loyola University Chicago, Department of Emergency Medicine.

Cancer-killing cells controlled by epigenetic process, new study shows

Natural killer (NK) cells in the human body can kill and contain viruses and cancerous tumors, and a new study from the University of Southern California (USC) describes for the first time how those cells can be manipulated by epigenetics. The discovery, detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, paves the way for developing more effective cancer drugs.