Culture

Children who display multiple psychosomatic symptoms, such as regular aches and pains and sleep and appetite problems, are more than twice as likely to be experiencing physical abuse at home than children who do not display symptoms, according to a study in the March edition of Acta Paediatrica.

Despite the clichés surrounding the habits of adolescents, the results of a study by the University of Seville show that most young people do not fit the risk profile of taking substances. Some 60% of Spaniards aged 13 to 18 say they do not take drugs and rarely drink alcohol – only in moderation – and at the same time, less than 10% admit to have taken some form of illegal drug.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers estimate that U.S. orthopaedic surgeons create approximately $2 billion per year in unnecessary health care costs associated with orthopaedic care due to the practice of defensive medicine.

Defensive medicine is the practice of ordering additional but unnecessary tests and diagnostic procedures that may later help exonerate physicians from accusations of malpractice. However, these additional costs result in no significant benefit to patients' care.

In a first-ever national survey of orthopaedic surgeons, 96 percent said they have practiced defensive medicine – the ordering of tests, referrals to specialists and hospital admissions primarily to avoid liability and without significant benefit to patients – according to a new study presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The study estimates the annual cost of defensive orthopaedic care at $2 billion.

DALLAS (Feb. 9, 2012) — In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting ™, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that duration of stay in the United States is associated with increased risk of preterm birth for Hispanic women.

DALLAS (February 9, 2012) — In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting ™, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that women who have undergone one prior delivery via cesarean section appear to know little about the risks and benefits associated with undergoing either a second cesarean or trial of labor to attempt a vaginal delivery, and that the preference of their medical provider strongly affects their selection between the two options.

A new study published in the journal Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety reveals that benfluorex, a fenfluramine derivative drug used in France under the name Mediator®, is likely responsible for thousands of hospitalizations and deaths over a 30 year period.

Benfluorex (Mediator®) was used in France from 1976 to 2009. Despite its anorexic properties, the drug was not marketed as an appetite suppressant but as an adjunct for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and among overweight patients with type 2 diabetes.

An Oregon Research Institute (ORI) exercise study conducted in four Oregon cities has shown significant benefits for patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease. In an original article published in the February 9, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), ORI scientist Fuzhong Li, Ph.D. and colleagues report that a tailored program of twice-weekly Tai Chi training resulted in improved postural stability and walking ability, and reduced falls in the participants.

SAN FRANCISCO – Obese children are 74 percent more likely to sustain a fracture of the growth plate, the softer end of the bone where growth occurs. A new study presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), involved 224 children visiting a Maryland hospital with a fracture. Information was collected on each patient regarding their sex, age, height, weight, fracture location and pattern.

SAN FRANCISCO – Patients who have had total joint replacement (TJR) are expected to return to their physician's office or clinic regularly for routine follow-up care. In a new study presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers asked 210 TKR patients (with no known complications) to either complete a Web-based follow-up, which included an online survey and an X-ray taken at the nearest Internet-enabled facility; or, to return to the clinic/office for their regular appointment.

AKRON, Ohio, February 8, 2012 – A new community-wide collaboration to reduce the impact of chronic disease and empower patients is generating impressive early results, leaders of the Accountable Care Community (ACC) initiative said today. The Akron-based Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) is leading the initiative with its founding institutional members and more than 60 public and private community partners.

SAN FRANCISCO – In hip resurfacing the femoral ball in the hip joint is not removed, but instead is trimmed and capped with a smooth metal covering. Young and active patients with arthritis often choose hip resurfacing over total hip replacement to minimize the risk of hip dislocation, and to preserve the bone for a revision surgery should the primary resurfacing fail. However, the long-term effects of sports on a resurfaced hip were unknown.

Fingerprints, ballistics, DNA analysis and other mainstays of the forensic science toolkit may get a powerful new crime-solving companion as scientists strive to develop technology for "fingerprinting" and tracing the origins of chemical substances that could be used in terrorist attacks and other criminal acts. That's the topic of the cover story in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

Washington D.C., February 8, 2012 – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 5-9% of youth and is frequently treated with stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate and amphetamine products. A recent safety communication from the US Food and Drug Administration advised that all patients undergoing ADHD treatment be monitored for changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

Potentially key fingerprint evidence is currently not being considered due to shortcomings in the way it is reported, according to a report published today in Significance, the magazine of the Royal Statistical Society and the American Statistical Association. Researchers involved in the study have devised a statistical model to enable the weight of fingerprint evidence to be quantified, paving the way for its full inclusion in the criminal identification process.