Culture

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Obese drivers are far less likely to wear seatbelts than are drivers of normal weight, a new University at Buffalo study has found, a behavior that puts them at greater risk of severe injury or death during motor vehicle crashes.

Girls who start puberty very early are more likely to have psychological problems and be at risk of sexual abuse and early pregnancy, suggests a new review published today (27 April) in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG).

Puberty is characterised by the maturation of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis, which plays a critical part in the development and regulation of the reproductive system.

Research: Effectiveness of a diabetes education and self management programme (DESMOND) for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus: Three year follow-up of a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.

The benefits of a one-off group education programme for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are not sustained over the long term, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.

Highlights

MAYWOOD, Il. -- A Loyola University Medical Center study has found that binge drinking may slow recovery and increase medical costs for survivors of burn injuries. The study was presented during the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association in Seattle.

MAYWOOD, Il. - Transplanting tissue from newborn fetal membranes prevents blindness in patients with a devastating disease called Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a Loyola University Medical Center study has found.

The study by senior author Charles Bouchard, MD, and colleagues is published online ahead of print in the journal Cornea.

[The effectiveness of interventions using electronic reminders to improve adherence to chronic medication: a systematic review of the literature Online First doi 10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000748]

Text message prompts can help patients living with long term conditions stick to their treatment programmes - at least in the short term - indicates a review of the available evidence, published online in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

LA JOLLA, CA – April 26, 2012 – Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have unraveled a complex chemical pathway that enables bacteria to form clusters called biofilms. Such improved understanding might eventually aid the development of new treatments targeting biofilms, which are involved in a wide variety of human infections and help bacteria resist antibiotics.

The report, published online ahead of print on April 26, 2012, by the journal Molecular Cell, explains how nitric oxide, a signaling molecule involved in the immune system, leads to biofilm formation.

A growing number of patients want to return to sport, and in some cases high-impact sports like jogging and soccer, after total hip replacement (or arthroplasty) operations. Although many surgeons already recommend certain activities more than others, little research has been performed to confirm whether these recommendations will reduce the lifespan of the artificial joint.

LONDON, ON –Researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute have discovered that developing countries have faster growing rates of use of home-based dialysis (called peritoneal dialysis) for kidney failure than the developed world. Despite home-based dialysis' reduced cost and better outcomes, developed countries (including Canada) are using this form of therapy less.

WASHINGTON, DC, April 26, 2012 — Pediatricians and other breastfeeding advocates often encourage new mothers to breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of their infants' lives based on the purported health benefits to both mothers and children. Many breastfeeding proponents also argue that breastfeeding has financial advantages over formula-feeding—breastfeeding is free, they say. But, according to a new study, the notion that there's no cost associated with breastfeeding for the recommended amount of time is patently untrue.

A new study, funded in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows that liver transplants performed at night or on weekends do not adversely affect patient or graft survival. Findings available in the May issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, demonstrate that safety measures in place are working to protect patients.

April 26, 2012, New York, NY—Noting the "unprecedented opportunity" provided under the Affordable Care Act, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, and other recently enacted federal laws, the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System today unveiled a community-based plan to enhance health and reduce spending by improving care for chronically ill patients and targeting quality improvement efforts to conditions that can yield the greatest benefit in a relatively short time.

Alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug use among young people is a public health concern in the UK. The short and long term risks to health are well known and range from accidental injuries, violence, sexual ill-health and increased rates of chronic conditions and premature death. A range of policies have been directed at reducing substance use among English children. Despite this, the number of children taking substances remains substantial.

Using nature's beauty as a tourist draw can boost conservation in China's valued panda preserves, but it isn't an automatic ticket out of poverty for the human habitants, a unique long-term study shows.

The policy hitch: Often those who benefit most from nature-based tourism endeavors are people who already have resources. The truly impoverished have a harder time breaking into the tourism business.