Culture

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 15, 2011)––New techniques in science and technology allow the medical community to continually improve patient care and experience, but as these new procedures are introduced, physicians must closely consider the relative risks and benefits for each patient. Laparoscopic surgery offers the short-term benefits of smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and less pain during recovery, but are there negative consequences in the long run for some patients?

It's the year 1800. You're a slave in southeast Virginia. You manage to escape. Your freedom is only going to last as long as you can hide. Where do you go?

Would you believe the Great Dismal Swamp? According to Dan Sayers, assistant professor of anthropology and an historical archaeologist at American University, that's exactly where you could have gone for immediate sanctuary.

PHILADELPHIA - Despite recent concerns that medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could increase the risk of cardiovascular events in children and adolescents, an observational study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and HealthCore Inc. finds they are no more likely to die from a severe cardiovascular event than those who do not take the drugs.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The most lethal and sudden cardiovascular event can be the toughest for doctors to diagnose.

But a study by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center shows new guidelines are effective for determining who's most likely suffering from an aortic dissection, which is tearing in the lining of the body's largest blood vessel.

Aortic dissection lead to the sudden death of award-winning TV actor John Ritter in 2003, and brought the world's attention to a heart condition that few survive.

COLUMBIA, Mo. –A University of Missouri researcher has found that stress related to pregnancy uniquely affects the health of expectant fathers, which in turn, influences the health of expectant mothers and their infants. Health services should incorporate counseling and assessments for men and women to reduce stressors and promote positive pregnancy outcomes, says ManSoo Yu, assistant professor in MU's Public Health Program.

Interactive teaching methods significantly improved attendance and doubled both engagement and learning in a large physics class, according to a University of British Columbia study published today in Science.

Led by Louis Deslauriers, a post-doctoral researcher at UBC's Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI), the study compared the amount of learning students experienced when taught – in three hours over one week – by traditional lecture and by using interactive activities based on research in cognitive psychology and physics education.

ATS 2011, DENVER – Vitamin D supplements may help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) get more from their pulmonary rehabilitation programs, according to a study conducted by researchers from Belgium.

The study results will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER – Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, can increase alertness and even improve quality of life for sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), even if their symptoms are minimal, according to a study conducted by researchers in Europe. Patients enrolled in the study reported an improvement in daytime sleepiness within six months of beginning CPAP treatment.

The study will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER – Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) effectively decreases the risk of cardiovascular death in elderly patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study conducted by researchers in Spain. The study is the first large-scale study to assess the impact of OSA and the effectiveness of CPAP treatment in cardiovascular mortality in the elderly.

The findings will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER – The six-minute walking distance test (6MWD), a test that measures a patient's ability to tolerate exercise and physical activity, is an effective tool for understanding disease severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a three-year global study of patients with COPD sponsored by drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline.

The study will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER – Hospital patients with pneumonia may be at risk of experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, often with few or no warning signs, according to research from the University of Chicago Medical Center under the auspices of the American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines project.

The results of the study will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2011 International Conference in Denver.

Films depicting the 1787 mutiny aboard the British ship HMS Bounty show sailors living cheek by jowl, being forced to dance, enduring storm-ridden Cape of Good Hope crossings to satisfy the ship captain's ego and being flogged for trivial reasons.

We may not think that these harsh conditions have much relevance today. But mutinies continue to occur, especially in the armed forces of developing nations. And mutinies have similarities to other types of rebellions, including worker strikes, riots, prison rebellions and political uprisings.

Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified unhealthy substance use as a risk factor for not receiving all appropriate preventive health services.

Including patients and their families in a structured prevention program reduced patient falls by more than half, according to a new study.

Patients with small kidney tumors are more likely to be offered treatment options based on surgeons' case volume and type of practice than on tumor characteristics.