Culture

CHICAGO, IL and DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University Medical Center researchers have verified data that suggest three medical factors appear to correlate with mortality for a patient who has been under anesthesia for an operation.

The risk of death was 2.5-times higher during the first year after surgery if a patient has low values in all three measures, called a "triple low," compared to patients whose values are all normal.

Using a specially designed risk assessment tool was an effective way of identifying violent hospital patients in medical and surgical units, according to a study in the November issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

American researchers led by Son Chae Kim, Professor of Nursing at Point Loma Nazarene University and Kristyn Ideker, a Registered Nurse at Scripps Memorial Hospital, San Diego, California, studied more than 2,000 patients admitted to an American acute care hospital over a five-month period.

CHICAGO – A review and analysis of 26 validated hospital readmission risk prediction models finds that most, whether for hospital comparison or clinical purposes, have poor predictive ability, according to an article in the October 19 issue of JAMA.

Regenerative medicine in spinal cord injuries (SCI) is proving to help the human body create new cell and nerve connections that are severed during this type of injury. In a review of current scientific research for stem cell treatment in SCI published in Neurotheraputics, Dr. Michael Fehlings and Dr. Reaz Vawda from the Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital in Ontario, Canada, provide evidence that supports researchers moving beyond the lab to conduct human clinical trials for stem cells.

A well-known collection of historical texts, the Cairo Genizah is one of the most valuable sources of primary documents for medieval historians and religious scholars. The 350,000 fragments found in the Genizah include not only religious texts, but also social and commercial documents, dating from the 9th to 19th century. But the collection is scattered among 70 institutions worldwide, including libraries in Cambridge, Jerusalem, and New York City, and scholars are hampered by both the wide dispersal of the collection as well as their fragmentary condition.

New evolutionary psychology claims are that physical stature affects our preferences in political leadership. A paper published in Social Science Quarterly says that a preference for physically formidable leaders, or caveman politics, may have evolved to ensure survival in ancient human history.

The paper by Gregg R. Murray and J. David Schmitz from Texas Tech University focuses on evolutionary psychology, the study of universal human behavior related to psychological mechanisms that proponents say evolved to solve problems faced by humans in ancient history.

CHICAGO -- Lower-income, urban dads are involved in their children's health and encourage them to exercise and eat healthy foods, reports a new study from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine., but these same dads may also give their kids the wrong dose of medicine and may be uncomfortable handling emergency medical care for their children.

Washington, D.C. — It is difficult to measure accurately each nation's contribution of carbon dioxide to the Earth's atmosphere. Carbon is extracted out of the ground as coal, gas, and oil, and these fuels are often exported to other countries where they are burned to generate the energy that is used to make products. In turn, these products may be traded to still other countries where they are consumed. A team led by Carnegie's Steven Davis, and including Ken Caldeira, tracked and quantified this supply chain of global carbon dioxide emissions.

STANFORD, Calif. — Family members of patients who have undergone surgery for weight loss may also shed several pounds themselves, as well as eat healthier and exercise more, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.

A year after the 35 patients in the study had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, their obese adult family members weighed on average 8 pounds less, the researchers say.

DURHAM, N.H. -- More than 1 in 4 children have been exposed to physical violence between their parents at some time, 1 in 9 of them during the past year, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center.

The research was reported in a new bulletin released by the U.S. Department of Justice. The bulletin was part of The National Survey of Children Exposed to Violence.

A new study by a Temple University Fox School of Business professor finds those who view their car as an extension of themselves have stronger aggressive driving tendencies.

The study, "Aggressive Driving: A Consumption Experience," is thought to be the first to comprehensively examine how personality, attitude and values contribute to aggressive driving behaviors. Driving is one of the most common consumptive behaviors, and aggressive driving causes a third of all accidents that involve personal injuries and two thirds of all fatal accidents in the United States.

BOSTON -- Nearly 30 percent of homes with young children have acetaminophen products stored unsafely, and nearly all homes included at least one expired medication, according to a research abstract presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

Archaeology has long associated advanced blade production with the Upper Palaeolithic period, about 30,000-40,000 years ago, linked with the emergence of Homo Sapiens and cultural features such as cave art. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University have uncovered evidence which shows that "modern" blade production was also an element of Amudian industry during the late Lower Paleolithic period, 200,000-400,000 years ago as part of the Acheulo-Yabrudian cultural complex, a geographically limited group of hominins who lived in modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Most people are rather vague when reporting on food and drink consumption, smoking and exercise habits but general practitioners are skilled at interpreting phrases such as "I only have a few drinks rarely" and "I get to the gym regularly" and can estimate based on symptoms and a person's physical appearance just how precise those claims are.

However, for healthcare research and epidemiology that relies on patient self-reporting it is important to find a more objective way to identify bias in self-reporting - which would also avoid bias from the person doing the interpretation.

BOSTON - As all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use continues to grow, so does the number of injuries. Children comprise about one-third of the 130,000 to 150,000 ATV-related emergency department visits each year and one-quarter of the more than 800 deaths. In fact, more children are injured from ATV crashes each year than from bicycles.

Two research abstracts, presented on Monday, Oct. 17 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston, provide insights into the potential causes of ATV crashes as well as much-needed safety precautions.