MedWorm: Universities

BioGenerator, Center for Emerging Technologies open third funding round

bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:05:14 +0100

The BioGenerator and the Center for Emerging Technologies said today they opened a third application round for for the i6 Project, which provides early-stage funding to seed new businesses in the biosciences. The first two rounds of funding for the i6 Project resulted in the launch of eight new bioscience companies in St. Louis. The i6 Project provides $25,000 to $100,000 of funding to support commercialization of bioscience technologies or business concepts from universities or other research institutions, entrepreneurs or individuals throughout the St... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines)

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White House defends contraception rules as criticism mounts

Reuters: Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:50:55 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities, hospitals and other church-affiliated employers to implement a new policy that requires health insurers to offer birth control coverage, a top adviser to the president's re-election campaign said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Study: College Students Seek More Help For Alcohol Than Drugs

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:02:51 +0100

BOSTON (CBS) – It’s not shocking to hear that drinking among college students is a problem. But, a new report by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services reveals some eye-opening numbers on the seriousness of the crisis. The report looked at the number of young people who were treated for a substance abuse problem, and found that alcohol abuse, and not drug abuse, was the biggest problem for college students. WBZ-TV’s Kate Merrill reports var videoCanvas = new WNVideoWidget("WNVideoCanvas", "wnVideo_6718073");videoCanvas.SetWidth(320);videoCanvas.SetHeight(240);videoCanvas.SetVariable("clipId", "6718073");videoCanvas.SetReportingKeywords("CBS.BOSTON");videoCanvas.SetAdvertisingZone("CBS.BOSTON/worldnowplayer");videoCanvas.SetVariable("offFaceColor", "afaeae");videoCanva...

White House defends contraception rules as criticisms mount

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:49:42 +0100

White House says open to compromise over contraception

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:30:16 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities and hospitals in implementing new rules that require health insurance to cover birth control, a top adviser to the president's re-election campaign said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

White House open to compromise over contraception: adviser

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:22:46 +0100

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European Competition for Best Innovations in University Outreach and Public Engagement

Society for Endocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

As part of the EC-funded ULab project, the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford is organising an online competition to identify the most innovative outreach and public engagement activities carried out by European Universities. Both individuals and groups may apply for awards. Competition submissions must be for an activity that has been initiated and sustained at any university or higher education institution within the 27 EU member states, including projects that might have involved collaboration with institutions outside the EU. The entry can be from one or a number of cooperating universities. The three winning entries will each receive a 5000 EUR prize for their institution as well as funding for a representative to attend the award ceremony at the University of Oxfo...

Mutation linked to 42% rise in stroke risk

NHS News Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:45:00 +0100

Conclusion In this study, researchers have identified a genetic variant in the HDAC9 gene that is associated with a subtype of ischaemic stroke called a large vessel stroke. Large vessel strokes occur when one or more of the arteries supplying blood to the brain become blocked. In this type of study, the genetic variants identified as being associated with a condition are not necessarily the cause of the increase in risk. Instead, they may lie near another variant that is responsible for the effect. In order to unlock the role of the HDAC9 gene, researchers will now need to study it and the region surrounding it more closely, both to confirm whether the variation in this gene is responsible for the increase in stroke risk and, if so, how it has this effect. Genetic, medical and lifestyle f...

SfE-sponsored Biology Undergraduate Research Bursaries

Society for Endocrinology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Biology Undergraduate Research Bursaries Programme is run by the Society of Biology in conjunction with the Society for Endocrinology and other learned societies. The purpose of the awards is to give experience of research to undergraduates with research potential and to encourage them to consider a career in scientific research. The awards provide support for the student at a rate of £180 per week, for a period of between six and eight weeks. Researchers in the biological and biomedical sciences at universities and research institutions within the UK are eligible to apply. Click on the link below for further details, eligibility criteria and to download an application form. The closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm Friday 30 March 2012. Society of Biology: Bi...

Cancer Center, in Suit, Claims Ex-Official Took Research

NYT Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:55:00 +0100

The president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Craig B. Thompson, is in a billion-dollar dispute with his former workplace over accusations that he walked away with research. (Source: NYT Health)

Associations Between Displayed Alcohol References on Facebook and Problem Drinking Among College Students [Article]

Archives of Pediatrics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Displayed references to I/PD were positively associated with AUDIT scores suggesting problem drinking as well as alcohol-related injury. Results suggest that clinical criteria for problem drinking can be applied to Facebook alcohol references. (Source: Archives of Pediatrics)

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France Picks Five More University Groups for Major Investment

ScienceNOW — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:20:31 +0100

PARIS—French Prime Minister François Fillon today announced that five more conglomerates of universities and... (Source: ScienceNOW)

NERC asks institutes to weed out poor grants

Chemistry World | Latest News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:53:57 +0100

Research council plans to improve grant success rates by getting universities to screen out uncompetitive proposals (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

UK chemistry student numbers hold steady

Chemistry World | Latest News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:53:57 +0100

Chemistry degrees predicted to buck the trend of a 9% drop in applications to UK universities (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

Australia attempts to enact scientific dictatorship at universities by banishing alternative medicine courses

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Self-proclaimed advocates of "science-based" medicine are hard at work trying to eliminate government funding for any form of medical education or treatment that is not conventional in nature. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a new lobbying group of 400 "doctors... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this report, the authors delineate the study’s objectives, principal methodological features, and timeline. At baseline, ELSA-Brasil enrolled 15,105 civil servants from 5 universities and 1 research institute. The baseline examination (2008–2010) included detailed interviews, clinical and anthropometric examinations, an oral glucose tolerance test, overnight urine collection, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, echocardiography, measurement of pulse wave velocity, hepatic ultrasonography, retinal fundus photography, and an analysis of heart rate variability. Long-term biologic sample storage will allow investigation of biomarkers that may predict cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Annual telephone surveillance, initiated in ...

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Naturalistic Changes in Subjective Distress Outside of Therapy

Journal of Clinical Psychology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionsLimitations of the study and further implications for treatment outcome research are discussed. (Source: Journal of Clinical Psychology)

Scientists sign petition to boycott academic publisher Elsevier

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:07:55 +0100

Cost of Knowledge petition criticises 'exorbitantly high' price of Elsevier's scientific journals and the publisher's 'huge profits'More than 3,000 academics, including several Fields medal-winning mathematicians, have put their names to a petition declaring their intention to boycott the academic publisher Elsevier.The "Cost of Knowledge" petition claims Elsevier charges "exorbitantly high" prices for its journals and criticises its practice of selling journals in "bundles" so libraries "must buy a large set with many unwanted journals, or none at all". It says the publisher makes "huge profits by exploiting their essential titles, at the expense of other journals".The petition also criticises Elsevier's support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), PIPA and the US Research Works Act, wh...

Research Excellence Framework panel criteria published

MEDEV News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:56:03 +0100

The final criteria and working methods that the Research Excellence Framework (REF) panels will use when assessing research are published today. Publication of this information, by the REF team on behalf of the four UK higher education funding bodies, is a key stage in preparations for the REF. Through the REF, the quality of research in all UK Universities and higher education colleges will be assessed, and the results will be used by the UK funding bodies to allocate research funding. Universities and higher education colleges will be invited to submit their highest quality research in 36 subject groupings called units of assessment (UOAs). The submissions will be assessed by an expert sub-panel for each UOA, working under the leadership and guidance of four main panels. Today's guidanc...

Decisions on HEFCE funding for higher education 2012-13

MEDEV News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:53:18 +0100

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced its funding decisions for higher education in England following the annual grant letter (Note 1) from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and subsequent decisions by the HEFCE Board. This announcement covers HEFCE funding for the academic year 2012-13 (Note 2). The overall level of government support for teaching in universities and colleges is set to increase over the next few years as a result of higher tuition fee loans under the Government’s new finance arrangements for higher education. HEFCE’s grant will reduce accordingly, but our commitment to supporting high-cost and strategically important subjects, widening participation and smaller specialist institutions will be maintained. HEFCE...

Where is memory stored?

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Haifa) Brain researchers from world-leading universities will be convening at the University of Haifa next week and will be presenting over 100 new studies in the field, focused on revealing the answer to the question of where and how memory is stored. Israel Prize winner Prof. Asher Koriat will be challenging the guests with the question: Is it possible to identify in material mechanisms processes that are founded in cognition?" (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Sports Activity After Short-Stem Hip Arthroplasty

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Patients with a short-stem hip implant can return to a good level of activity postoperatively. Participation in sports almost reached similar levels as preoperatively but with a shift from high- to low-impact activities. This seems desirable from a surgeon’s point of view but should also be communicated to the patient before hip replacement. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

Visualising the invisible: a network approach to reveal the informal social side of student learning

Advances in Health Sciences Education — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:26:25 +0100

Abstract World-wide, universities in health sciences have transformed their curriculum to include collaborative learning and facilitate the students’ learning process. Interaction has been acknowledged to be the synergistic element in this learning context. However, students spend the majority of their time outside their classroom and interaction does not stop outside the classroom. Therefore we studied how informal social interaction influences student learning. Moreover, to explore what really matters in the students learning process, a model was tested how the generally known important constructs—prior performance, motivation and social integration—relate to informal social interaction and student learning. 301 undergraduate medical students participated in this c...

South Sudan must turn its back on elitist education

SciDev.Net — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:55:10 +0100

South Sudan's prosperity depends on more public universities serving more students — and focussing on S&T, not humanities, says John A. Akec. (Source: SciDev.Net)

Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program - 2012 Call for Applications

RWJF - Open Calls For Proposals — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0100

The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program was established to increase the number of faculty from historically disadvantaged backgrounds who can achieve senior rank in academic medicine and dentistry and who will encourage and foster the development of succeeding classes of such physicians and dentists. Four-year postdoctoral research awards are offered to universities, schools of medicine and dentistry and research institutions to support the research and career development of physicians and dentists from historically disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to developing careers in academic medicine and dentistry and to serving as role models for students and faculty of similar background. The program defines the term “historically disadvantaged” to mean the chall...

Secrets of the inner voice unlocked

NHS News Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:19:00 +0100

Conclusion This study of 15 people undergoing brain surgery has demonstrated a method of reconstructing the sound of a heard word using only the signals obtained from the brain. This study represents an important progression in the field of speech reconstruction, which has the potential to improve the lives of many who suffer from speech difficulties in the future. But the words, when reconstructed, were not of good enough quality to be recognised by a human listener when played. The words could only be identified when the original and reconstructed sound patterns were compared visually. The researchers suggest that improving the brain sensors detecting the STG brain activity may, in the future, improve the reconstructed sound to a level that could be understood by a person listening. The ...

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[Palliative care in the light of legal and regulatory requirements in Germany].

Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Cremer-Schaeffer P, Radbruch L Abstract In Germany, palliative care has developed rapidly since the establishment of the first palliative care unit in 1983. More improvements in patient-centered care are only possible if legal requirements as well as education of physicians, nurses, and other professionals involved in palliative care are adapted to current needs. This paper provides an overview of legal and regulatory requirements including a critical appreciation of their influence on palliative care in Germany. Only recently has medical education in palliative medicine been implemented as an integral part of medical studies at German universities. Starting in 2014, physicians applying for a license to practice medicine will have to provide a certificate of basic training...

Opportunity: Thank President Obama for Highlighting Science in the State of the Union

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:37:03 +0100

On 24 January, President Obama delivered his third State of the Union address. In the speech, the President called on Congress to sustain investments in science: “Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.” Please write to President Obama today to thank him for highlighting the benefits of a...

New Cornell Campus to Cultivate High-Tech Industry in New York City [Slide Show]

Scientific American Topic - Biotechnology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0100

For years New York City–based universities have been opening satellite campuses worldwide, whether it is New York University's sites in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv or Columbia University's Global Centers in Beijing and Nairobi. Technion–Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa is returning the favor in a big way, partnering with Ithaca, N.Y.–based Cornell University to build a campus on New York City's Roosevelt Island . [More] (Source: Scientific American Topic - Biotechnology)

Complementary medicine courses in universities: how I beat the varsity quacks

Telegraph Health — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:14:46 +0100

The teaching of complementary medicine has no place in British universities, says David Colquhoun. (Source: Telegraph Health)

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How to make your JISC funding bid stand out from the crowd

MEDEV News — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:51:43 +0100

Are you looking to secure JISC funding this year? As competition grows for funds, our advice on successful bidding can help you make a strong application.Sarah Porter, director of innovation at JISC, said: “We want to attract bids from a wide range of universities and colleges, those that know JISC well and others that might be bidding for the first time or need additional help with their application. We know bidding for funds is a time-consuming process and we are therefore aiming to give organisations the best possible chance of being successful in their applications.”JISC advice for successful bidding includes:* Describe how your proposed project meets the criteria set out in the call* Demonstrate how your idea is aligned with the objectives of your college or institut...

Contraceptive mandate could face tough sledding in Supreme Court

Los Angeles Times - Science — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:44:00 +0100

The healthcare law's mandate to require religious-affiliated employers to pay for contraception for their workers has prompted two lawsuits. If the matter gets to the Supreme Court, it will go before justices who recently affirmed — in a 9-0 ruling — that the 1st Amendment gives special leeway to religious employers.The Supreme Court and the Obama administration, already headed for a face-off in March over the constitutionality of the healthcare law, appear to be on another collision course over whether church-run schools, universities, hospitals and charities must provide free contraceptives to their students and employees. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Who came up with the model for excessive pay? No, it wasn't the bankers – it was academics | Aditya Chakrabortty

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:30:01 +0100

All the focus has been on bankers' bonuses, yet no one has looked at the economists who argued for rewarding bosses by giving them a bigger financial stake in their companiesTake a big step back. Ignore those sterile debates about how Dave screwed up over Stephen Hester's pay and where this leaves Ed. Instead, ask this: which profession has done most to justify the millions handed over to the boss of RBS, his colleagues and counterparts? Which group has been most influential in making the argument that top people deserve top pay? Not the executives themselves – at least, not directly. Nor the headhunters. Try the economists.The ground rules for the system by which City bankers, Westminster MPs and ordinary taxpayers live today were set by two US economists just a couple of decades ago. I...

Political Science | Women and Faith: Law Fuels Contraception Controversy on Catholic Campuses

NYT — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:58 +0100

Many Catholic colleges are pushing back against a ruling by the Obama administration that the new health care law requires insurance plans at Catholic institutions to cover birth control. (Source: NYT)

Cancer patients' pain can be helped by psychosocial interventions, say researchers

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute) Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, who teamed with colleagues at five universities around the United States, analyzed past studies of cancer-related pain reduction and found that psychosocial interventions can have a beneficial effect on cancer patients' pain severity. They also found that certain psychosocial interventions provide better pain management and are effective in reducing the degree to which pain related to cancer and its treatment interferes with patients' lives. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

[Bibliometric analysis of International Scientific production on Primary Care.]

Atencion Primaria — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The production of Primary care is about 1% of the total scientific output, with a noticeable and higher than average growth over 20 years. The proportion of clinical trials is similar to other disciplines. Although Anglo-Saxon countries and journals are the highest producers, Spain and the journal Aten Primaria is among those highlighted. PMID: 22296794 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Atencion Primaria)

Talus measurements as a diagnostic tool for sexual dimorphism in Egyptian population

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:18:42 +0100

Abstract: Measurements of talus have been shown to be sexually dimorphic in South African blacks and whites and Prehistoric New Zealand Polynesians. Since several studies have demonstrated that discriminant function equations used to determine the sex of a skeleton are population specific, the purpose of the present study was to derive similar equation for the tali of Egyptians. The sample consisted of 110 tali (67 male & 43 female) whose age at death ranged between 20 and 60 years. The tali were obtained from Anatomy departments of Minia and Cairo Universities and also from Forensic Medicine department of Justice Office in Minia governates – Egypt. Twelve measurements were taken for every talus. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16. All measurements showed significant sexual difference...

[Comment] Offline: A shot in the dark

LANCET — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Every 5 years in Britain, a gargantuan exercise in judging the performance of our research-based universities takes place. The Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE), for example, will spend £1·6 billion in 2011–12 on research in English universities. (A friend of mine in Italy almost choked on his cappuccino when I told him this figure.) But how should HEFCE, and similar bodies in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, judge who gets what? In the past, institutions have competed in a Research Assessment Exercise. (Source: LANCET)

Museum of Science gets $5M grant

bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:08:40 +0100

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center gave a $5 million grant to the Museum of Science Boston on Wednesday to build an exhibit on biology and biotechnology to be called the Hall of Human Life (HHL). The exhibit, expected to open next summer, will include 10,000 square feet of space relying on life sciences research connections through businesses and universities in the area. The HHL itself is planned to include an interactive segment in which visitors can anonymously record their experiences in areas of food, physical forces, living organisms, social experience and time... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)

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Effect of surgeon fatigue on hip and knee arthroplasty.

Canadian Journal of Surgery — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:02:23 +0100

Conclusion: Duration of surgery and incidence of intraoperative complications for THA may increase with later surgery start time; however, the relatively small statistical differences observed imply that they likely are not clinically significant. PMID: 22269219 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Canadian Journal of Surgery)

Branding academic publishers 'enemies of science' is offensive and wrong

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:26:40 +0100

Publishers have made more scientific research available to more readers at a lower unit cost than ever beforeWriting in these pages last week, Dr Mike Taylor used strong language to support his assertion that academic publishers have "drifted out of alignment" with science – language that demands a response.I won't comment on the multiple references to one significant publisher – which is just one of 2,000 active scholarly publishers, most of them learned societies – but it is unfair and wrong to characterise a progressive industry in these terms. These publishers are not anti-science, anti-publication, pouring scorn on new entrants to the industry, exploiting people with preventable diseases (are you serious?) or doing almost nothing to earn their "obscene profits".They are offended...

Association of magnetic resonance imaging–based knee cartilage T2 measurements and focal knee lesions with knee pain: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Arthritis Care and Research — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:29:26 +0100

ConclusionThese results suggest that elevated cartilage T2 values are associated with findings of pain in the early phase of OA, whereas among morphologic knee abnormalities only knee cartilage lesions are significantly associated with knee pain status. (Source: Arthritis Care and Research)

Long‐term outcomes and costs of an integrated rehabilitation program for chronic knee pain: A pragmatic, cluster randomized, controlled trial

Arthritis Care and Research — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:29:25 +0100

ConclusionClinical and cost benefits of ESCAPE‐knee pain were still evident 30 months after completing the program. ESCAPE‐knee pain is a more effective and efficient model of care that could substantially improve the health, well‐being, and independence of many people, while reducing health care costs. (Source: Arthritis Care and Research)

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Pakistan to improve academia-industry links

SciDev.Net — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:11:57 +0100

Offices of research, innovation and commercialisation (ORIC) are set to improve links between Pakistan’s universities and its enterprises. www.scidev.net/en/science-and-innovation-policy/entrepreneurship/http://www.scidev.net/en/science-and-innovation-policy/entrepreneurship/ (Source: SciDev.Net)

Autism detected in brains of six-month-old infants

NHS News Feed — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:53:00 +0100

Conclusion This small study highlights a potential method of identifying children who are likely to develop autism at 6-11 months, much earlier than the current method of diagnosis. The authors suggest this could potentially pave the way for more selective targeting of early intervention efforts and procedures to these children, increasing their life chances. While this study provides intriguing results it is important to bear in mind some practical limitations. For instance, while the average differences between the brain function of the infants that went on to develop autism compared to those that did not were significantly different, individual values from the two groups did overlap. This means that there is probably no useful clinical cut-off value to predict autism. Similarly, the res...

A randomised controlled trial of a self-management education program for osteoarthritis of the knee delivered by health professionals.

Arthritis Research and Therapy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

IntroductionOur aim was to determine whether a disease specific self-management program for primary care people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee (the OAK program), implemented by health professionals, would achieve and maintain clinically meaningful improvements in health related outcomes compared with a control group. Methods: Medical practitioners referred 146 primary care participants with OA of the knee. Volunteers with coexistent inflammatory joint disease or serious co-morbidities were excluded. Randomisation was to either control or OAK groups. The OAK group completed a 6 week self-management program. The control group had a 6 month waiting period before receiving the OAK program. Assessments occurred at baseline, 8 weeks and 6 months. Primary outcomes were Western Ontario and M...

Facilitating Grant Proposal Writing in Health Behaviors for University Faculty: A Descriptive Study

Health Promotion Practice — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This report describes a grant proposal–writing seminar series provided to University faculty (N = 20) and explores factors facilitating and impeding writing. Summary statistics are provided for quantitative data. Free responses were sorted by independent raters into meaningful categories. As a consequence of the training, 45% planned to submit within 18 months; 80% of grant proposals targeted NIH. At 1-year follow-up, 40% actually submitted grants. Factors impeding grant proposal writing included competing professional demands; factors facilitating writing included regularly scheduled feedback on written proposal sections and access to expert collaborators. Obtaining grants generates financial resources, facilitates training experiences, and vastly contributes to the growth and disse...

Mathematics

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100

The study of quantities through analysis, deduction and calculation - including mathematics, operational research and statisticsWhat will I learn?Familiar with fractals? Study a degree in maths and you soon will be.Broadly speaking, maths degrees should give you the basic ideas of pure mathematics (linear algebra, geometry etc), applied mathematics (calculus, mathematical methods, modelling and numerical analysis), and statistics (including probability and operational research).Your first year will probably give you an overview of the subject, introducing you to all the main areas. This should build on what you studied at A-level and also introduce you to a few new things. The next two or three years will give you the chance to specialise a bit more, perhaps in cryptology, group theory, fl...

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Saudi universities shrug off row over scientists' salaries

SciDev.Net — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:20:59 +0100

A 13 per cent hike in Saudi Arabia's higher education budget, has reignited a debate about university rankings. (Source: SciDev.Net)

DNA sample to be taken from students before allowed to take SAT college entrance exams

NaturalNews.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Standardized testing is a common method by which colleges and universities evaluate the competency of applying high school students. But an increasing amount of students are cheating on such tests, which has caused lawmakers in New York to consider actually harvesting... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

Fried food study does not reflect UK diet

NHS News Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100

Conclusion This study found no association between how often people ate fried food and their risk of coronary heart disease or death from any cause in a large Spanish cohort. This study has strengths, including using a valid method of assessing diet, a large sample size and long follow-up time, but also has significant limitations. The following limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings of this study: The study looked at frying using olive oil or sunflower oil in the context of a Mediterranean diet. The authors make the important point that frying with other types of fats or reusing oils several times may still be harmful. Reusing oils is common in fast food preparation in the UK, and so this study does not show that consuming this type of food is not linked to hea...

Funding for higher education in England for 2012-13: HEFCE grant letter from BIS

MEDEV News — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:50:00 +0100

The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Minister for Universities and Science have today confirmed funding allocations to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for 2012-13 and the Government’s priorities for the Council for the coming year. The grant letter (note 1) confirms government funding and priorities for HEFCE and for higher education in a year when the new financial arrangements for higher education in England will be implemented. From 2012-13, universities and colleges will increasingly obtain their income for learning and teaching from publicly funded tuition fee loans. HEFCE's funding settlement reflects these new circumstances. The letter asks HEFCE to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements in the interests...

Muscle Soreness Quantified By Researchers

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Quantifying how sore a person is after a long workout is a challenge for doctors and researchers, but scientists from Loma Linda and Asuza Pacific Universities think they may have figured it out. Their research article describing a new technique to measure muscle soreness will be published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE). Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) or exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is one of the most common sports injuries, but without a reliable method of quantifying muscle soreness, assessing treatments is difficult... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Knee instruments and rating scales designed to measure outcomes

Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:09:17 +0100

Abstract In this article, the knee instruments and rating scales that are designed to measure outcomes are revised. Although the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form can be used as a general knee measure, no instrument is currently universally applicable across the spectrum of knee disorders and patient groups. Clinicians and researchers looking to use a patient-based score for measurement of outcomes must consider the specific patient population in which it has been evaluated. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index is recommended for the evaluation of treatment effect in persons with osteoarthritis (OA). This is a generic health status questionnaire that contains 36 items, is widely used, and easy to complete. The Kne...

South West researchers awarded £4.2m to improve our understanding of life on Earth

University of Bristol news — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:40:22 +0100

A new partnership, announced today by the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, aims to establish the South West of England as a centre for international excellence in training for bioscience and food security research. The South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), comprising the Universities of Bristol, Bath and Exeter, and Rothamsted Research, aims to equip future generations of scientists with skills they need to tackle the many challenges facing society today that have potential solutions in biological science. (Source: University of Bristol news)

Brian Cox, David Starkey and … Colin Firth; a new type of public intellectual?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0100

The success of today's celebrity scientists may pave the way for a new generation of academics and, indeed, new public expectations of themAfter a year of science that has seen Brian Cox present a BBC primetime Night with the Stars, David Starkey being denounced as a historian for exchanging the library for the TV studio and celebrity academics launching the private New College of the Humanities, one may ask whether academics are becoming part of a new academic star system. Even the UK research councils are teaming up with the media to co-produce the "Next Generation Thinkers", who are destined for science media fame.What is driving this shift in mass mediated scholarship, and are we likely to see it flourish during this century? Did the noughties signal a return of the public intellectual...

Sex-related outcome differences after implantation of low-contact-stress mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty

International Orthopaedics — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:53:17 +0100

Conclusions We found no factors in favour of gender-specific total knee prostheses. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperPages 1-5DOI 10.1007/s00264-012-1486-9Authors Norbert Kastner, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, AustriaGerald Gruber, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, AustriaBirgit A. Aigner, Department of General Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 8, 8036 Graz, AustriaJörg Friesenbichler, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, AustriaMichael Pechmann, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, AustriaFlor...

Researchers quantify muscle soreness

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(The Journal of Visualized Experiments) Quantifying how sore a person is after a long workout is a challenge for doctors and researchers, but scientists from Loma Linda and Asuza Pacific Universities think they may have figured it out. Their research article describing a new technique to measure muscle soreness will be published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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A Nurse Need Never Forget

NYT Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:00:16 +0100

Technology has revolutionized nursing education. Vast amounts of information no longer need to be memorized. (Source: NYT Health)

A Bridge to Recovery on Campus

NYT Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0100

College can be harrowing for students struggling to stay clean. Special dorms offer support, and a safe haven. (Source: NYT Health)

Museum Plans to Put Scientists On Display

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:53:00 +0100

A rendering of the exterior of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' Nature Research Center Imagine walking through a science museum and, among the usual displays of dinosaur bones, butterflies, and amphibians you come upon a series of windows into state-of-the-art research labs. Inside, scientists from nearby universities and veterinary schools work on projects related to biodiversity, genetics, nanoparticles, and animal health and welfare. In front of each window is a touch screen. Tap it, and you can learn about each researcher s specific project and the tools with which he or she is working. A few minutes later, one of the scientists emerges to discuss the research with visitors and answer questions. The exchange benefits the scientists as well: some are PhD candidates lea...

U.S. gives church groups a year on birth control rule

Reuters: Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:03:56 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday ruled that religiously affiliated nonprofit organizations, including hospitals and universities, will have to offer birth-control coverage to women employees but gave the organizations an extra year to comply. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Environment 'sustains intelligence'

NHS News Feed — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100

Conclusion This study tried to calculate how strongly genetic variations are associated with changes in intelligence over a lifetime. However, none of the study’s results proved statistically significant and therefore it’s not possible to say for certain where the balance of genetic and environmental influences lies. Despite the lack of statistically significant results, the researchers said that the strengths of this study are that it had an extremely long follow-up and measured intelligence at two points in time, providing an estimate of cognitive change and stability over time, and providing estimates of the relative roles of genetics and the environment in this change. The researchers also said that further studies are needed to validate their findings, as their cohort was too smal...

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Education Life Preview: A Sharper Mind, Middle Age and Beyond

NYT Health — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:24:34 +0100

How to subtract 10 years from your brain’s age? Get a college degree. (Source: NYT Health)

The impact of gender and physical environment on the handwashing behaviour of university students in Ghana

Tropical Medicine and International Health — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:53:12 +0100

Conclusions Handwashing behaviour is generally poor among UCC students, mirroring results from North American Universities. The findings underline the plasticity of handwashing behaviour among this population, and highlight the need for ensuring that the physical environment in washrooms on university campuses is conducive to handwashing. (Source: Tropical Medicine and International Health)

U.S. Nitrogen Pollution Impacts & Solutions: Report Highlights New Research And Offers Solutions For A Nitrogen-Soaked World

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

The nitrogen cycle has been profoundly altered by human activities, and that in turn is affecting human health, air and water quality, and biodiversity in the U.S., according to a multi-disciplinary team of scientists writing in the 15th publication of the Ecological Society of America's Issues in Ecology. In "Excess Nitrogen in the U.S. Environment: Trends, Risks, and Solutions," lead author Eric Davidson (Woods Hole Research Center) and 15 colleagues from universities, government, and the private sector review the major sources of reactive nitrogen in the U.S... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Crowd funding provides new source of research revenue

Physics Today News Picks — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature: As traditional funding sources, such as universities and research funding agencies, face budget cuts, some scientists are turning to “crowd funding,” raising money for research directly from the public. A number of websites, such as Kickstarter and FundaGeek, have already launched. The basic procedure is that researchers submit their project idea and its estimated cost. If accepted, the proposal is placed online and donors have a set amount of time to make a donation. Some sites provide services free of charge, while others take a cut of the money raised. Although questions have come up concerning the lack of a formal review process and the fact that some projects will be more popular than others and will therefore attract more funding, many scientists have said they we...

Liberating the NHS: developing the healthcare workforce - from design to delivery

MEDEV News — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:19:53 +0100

Foreword by Secretary of StateIn December 2010 we set out our vision for a new system for developing the healthcare workforce. One that would ensure employers supported by clinicians were placed at the heart of the decision-making process, with the opportunity to design the shape of their workforce and the way in which they develop the people they employ.The NHS in England is one of the best healthcare systems in the world and that is down to the dedication of the workforce. However, while the NHS currently delivers excellent care, in some areas outcomes for patients still lag behind the top countries in the international league. As we strive to improve the NHS to deliver world-class health outcomes for patients, we need also to improve the way we develop the healthcare and public health w...

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Role of pastors in disasters curriculum development project: preparing faith-based leaders to be agents of safety - Rowel R, Mercer LA, Gichomo G.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:13:29 +0100

FEMA's Emergency Management Institute higher education initiative states that a broad range of college students and professionals need courses that introduce them to disasters and what to do about them. Hundreds of universities have since developed emergen... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Uganda: Ministry of Health Scholarship Money Stolen?

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:18:01 +0100

Independent (Kampala)-A number of students who had been sent to study abroad have had their scholarships cancelled and they have been advised to return to Ugandan universities, The Independent has learnt. Some of the affected individuals claim the concerned officials swindle the money. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Programs help foster youth achieve college success

USATODAY.com Health — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:06:12 +0100

A growing number of colleges and universities are offering more services to students who grew up in foster care. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Nine ways scientists demonstrate they don't understand journalism

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:49:00 +0100

If reporters wrote stories the way some scientists seem to want, few people would read science coverageHave you heard of Futurity? How about The Conversation? In different ways, these sites and others are bypassing the traditional media model – cutting out the journalist middleman and letting researchers speak more directly to the public. In the case of Futurity, which is backed by a growing number of research-intensive universities, university press officers act as mediators with the site posting more-or-less edited "stories" (press releases) that are uncontaminated by any sordid contact with the grubby mitts of the reporting classes.The Conversation, based in Melbourne, is a more interesting hybrid with hacks drafted in to commission and edit contributions from academics.There's nothin...

Study linking HRT to breast cancer 'was wrong'

NHS News Feed — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:46:00 +0100

Conclusion Researchers have reanalysed the design and data from three studies that had suggested that HRT is associated with an increased risk that breast cancer would develop. They wanted to determine whether HRT caused breast cancer to develop (that the link was “causal”). The researchers looked at a pooled analysis study called the Collaborative Reanalysis, the Women’s Health Initiative randomised controlled trials and the Million Women Study, which was a large prospective cohort study including 800,000 post-menopausal women. The researchers found that these studies each failed to meet the majority of nine criteria which would be need to be met in order to say whether the studies could establish causality. These criteria included whether the women in the studies took HRT before th...

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Forms of benefit sharing in global health research undertaken in resource poor settings: A qualitative study of Stakeholders' views in Kenya.

Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Global health research should provide benefits that address both the micro and macro level issues of justice in order to forestall exploitation. Embracing the two is however challenging in terms of how the various competing interests/needs should be balanced ethically, especially in the absence of structures to guide the process. This challenge should point to the need for greater dialogue to facilitate value clarification among stakeholders. (Source: Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine)

Sex Differences in the Manifestation of ADHD in Emerging Adults

Journal of Attention Disorders — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Overall, clear differences emerged between men and women with ADHD. Implications and future directions are discussed. (Source: Journal of Attention Disorders)

Is Stephen Hawking's voice music to the ears?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0100

People just don't like voice synthesisers that sound too realistic, say researchersStephen Hawking celebrated his 70th birthday earlier this month with a public symposium at Cambridge University attended by some of the world's most eminent physicists. Although illness prevented him from being there in person, the audience was treated to an inspiring address delivered in the idiosyncratic computer-generated voice that has become his trademark.As well as being the world's most famous living scientist, Hawking is probably the best-known user of speech-synthesis technology, which enables those who have lost their voices through illness or disability to communicate verbally. His progressive motor neurone disease has meant that he has needed to rely on the technology since the mid-80s and t...

iPhone/Skype combo delivers reliable ultrasound images

ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:57:16 +0100

Source: Sara Jackson, FierceMobileHealthcare Content: “A new study by more than a half-dozen major universities around the world has confirmed that at least two conditions, apnea and pneumothorax, can be identified remotely using an iPhone with an ultrasound attachment. The system has a telehealth element, requiring a sonographer on one end to guide an onsite technician [...] (Source: ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics)

Secondary transfer effects of interracial contact: The moderating role of social status.

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The contact hypothesis asserts that intergroup attitudes can be improved when groups have opportunities to interact with each other. Recent research extending the contact hypothesis suggests that contact with a primary outgroup can decrease bias toward outgroups not directly involved in the interaction, which is known as the secondary transfer effect (STE). The present study contributes to growing research on STEs by investigating effects among Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate students (N = 3,098) attending 28 selective colleges and universities. Using hierarchical linear modeling, our results reveal numerous positive STEs among Asian, Black, and Hispanic college students. No significant STEs were observed among White students. Mediated moderation analyses support an attit...

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Food 'fingerprints' dipstick test

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:59:00 +0100

Scientists at Aberystwyth and Newcastle universities aim to discover what someone has eaten using a "dipstick test" on their urine. and hope it will become a tool to identify the cause of diseases. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

Will Lawmakers Reform Immigration Rules for STEM Graduates?

Washington Watch — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:32:22 +0100

Ranjini Prithviraj is at the start of a promising career in neuroscience. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), serves as an editor on the NIH Fellows Editorial Board, and mentors students interested in careers in science. Despite her strong résumé and her PhD in cell and molecular biology from a well-regarded American university, Prithviraj's ability to continue to work in the United States is uncertain, because she was born in India and raised in Dubai. "I would like to stay in the US long term, but I'm not sure as of now," said Prithviraj. "The reason I'm not sure is because the US makes it so hard for us foreign nationals to get a green card, irrespective of how qualified we are." The dilemma faced by Prithviraj and other foreign-born graduates wi...

Osteoarthritis year in review: rehabilitation and outcomes.

Rural Remote Health — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Interventions of manual therapy for hip and knee OA provided limited evidence of effectiveness. These studies are of limited quality due to lack of blinding and disclosure of co-intervention. Tele-rehabilitation may be a viable option to improve access to rehabilitation post joint replacement for those in rural and remote areas. Data continue to support the need to include performance measures as well as patient-reported outcomes in evaluating outcomes in OA. Additionally, measures of participation should be considered as core outcomes. PMID: 22261405 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Rural Remote Health)

Shared memories and the problems they cause

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:24:01 +0100

We tend to think of our memories as unique and personal, but they are in fact shaped – and even shared – by those close to usOne of the joys of being a parent is getting a close-up view of the emergence of a self. Ask a three-year-old what she remembers of babyhood and you will find that she does not have much to say for herself. Children of that age typically struggle to place themselves at the centre of a life story, to do the kind of time-travelling that makes autobiographical memory possible. As their skills with language, narrative and social understanding improve, so too does their aptitude for telling the story of their own lives.It turns out that parents have a big part to play in this process. One interesting paradox confronts those who study childhood memory: children st...

Bauru School of Dentistry Tele-Health League: an educational strategy applied to research, teaching and extension among applications in tele-health

Journal of Applied Oral Science — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:27:33 +0100

Conclusions: The results showed that the TLFOB-USP members, adjoining to the professor's participants, develop projects in Tele-helth, in Tele-aid and Tele-education areas, thus resulting in the involvement of the University and the community. (Source: Journal of Applied Oral Science)

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Hamstring issues in sports: still a major clinical and research challenge

British Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

It will not be long until the Olympic 100 metre competitions. As certain as death, taxes and politicians' lies, more than one athlete's 4-year dream will vanish as his or her hamstring tears. This injury remains a great challenge in clinical practice and academic research. This issue of BJSM, with its striking cover, provides insights into the mechanisms that underpin hamstring injuries, guidance for clinical practice and suggestions for future research. Debate – when do hamstring tears occur? Hamstring tears occur during high-speed running but which phase of the gait cycle is the culprit? In Head to Head, Elizabeth S Chumanov and colleagues (see page 90) from the Universities of Wisconsin and Melbourne provide the conventional wisdom that hamstrings are frequently injured during ecc...

First step towards treatment for painful flat feet

University of Bristol news — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:05:00 +0100

New research by the Universities of Bristol, East Anglia and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, has made an advance in understanding the causes of adult-acquired flat feet – a painful condition particularly affecting middle-aged women. (Source: University of Bristol news)

Call for more mobility

Nature — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature 481, 7380 (2012). doi:10.1038/nj7380-227b Universities recommend measures to bring scientists to Europe. (Source: Nature)

Flying telescope gives deeper view of Orion nebula

Physics Today News Picks — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

BBC: The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, is a 15-ton telescope mounted in the back of a converted Boeing 747. The telescope can see in both the visible and IR spectra. The first of SOFIA's images of the Orion nebula were released in late December, and James De Buizer of the Universities Space Research Association and colleagues examined the data, focusing on the region around the Becklin-Neugebauer object, one of the brightest IR objects in the sky. The object itself was thought to be the main source of the nebula's IR emission, but the new images show that something else they were previously unaware of—perhaps a small protocluster of stars—is shining very brightly in the IR there. SOFIA is a user facility; scientists can propose experiments and get ...

Nicotine patches may ease mental decline

NHS News Feed — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0100

Conclusion This small randomised controlled trial showed that six-month nicotine replacement for non-smoking older people with mild cognitive impairment was safe and improved scores on some memory tests compared to people who had a placebo treatment. The treatment did not improve scores on all the memory tests and an overall clinical assessment stated that there was no difference between the two groups. The study had some limitations: The main limitation of this study was the small sample size. The study did not follow the participants over a long enough time to see whether there was a difference in the number of people who progressed to having more severe cognitive impairment (i.e. whether nicotine reduced progression of MCI). As this study was in people with mild cognitive impai...

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Ed tech provider Ascend Learning acquires 70-person Minnesota co.

bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:07:56 +0100

Advanced Informatics makes software to help schools manage evaluations, class schedules, coursework delivery, curriculum mapping and other education-related functions. Ascend Learning, a health-care-focused education technology firm with dual headquarters in Burlington, Mass. and Stilwell, Mo., has acquired 70-employee Advanced Informatics, a Minneapolis company. “Advanced Informatics is an outstanding addition to our Ascend Learning family of companies and will help us expand our partnerships with the best educators and top colleges, universities and businesses around the country,” Ascend CEO Rick Willett said in a written statement... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines)

New treatment for chronic depression targets personality style

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Southampton) Researchers from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with psychologists from six other universities, have started a study to assess the impact of a new psychological therapy for chronic, or treatment-resistant, depression. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Modified minimally invasive two-incision total hip arthroplasty using large diameter femoral head

Table of Contents : Indian Journal of Orthopaedics : 2007 - 41(1) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our data suggest that this modified technique combined with large ceramic femoral head is safe and reproducible in terms of achieving proper implant positioning and early functional recovery. (Source: Table of Contents : Indian Journal of Orthopaedics : 2007 - 41(1))

Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design.

Am J Epidemiol — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this report, the authors delineate the study's objectives, principal methodological features, and timeline. At baseline, ELSA-Brasil enrolled 15,105 civil servants from 5 universities and 1 research institute. The baseline examination (2008-2010) included detailed interviews, clinical and anthropometric examinations, an oral glucose tolerance test, overnight urine collection, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, echocardiography, measurement of pulse wave velocity, hepatic ultrasonography, retinal fundus photography, and an analysis of heart rate variability. Long-term biologic sample storage will allow investigation of biomarkers that may predict cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Annual telephone surveillance, initiated in 2009, will c...

Morton Edward Bitterman (1921–2011).

American Psychologist — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Presents an obituary for Mortan Edward "Jeff" Bitterman. Bitterman obtained his doctorate in 1945 and remained at Cornell as a professor until moving to the University of Texas (UT) in 1950 at the invitation of K. M. Dallenbach, a former mentor at Cornell. Over his career, Bitterman studied at least a dozen different species (often inventing new apparatus), and found that the laws underlying probability learning, extinction after partial reinforcement, and discrimination reversals differed across vertebrate species. Bitterman was invited to universities in two dozen countries around the world, where he actively promoted keen scientific study of comparative behavior to psychologists and to biologists and neuroscientists who needed the methods of behaviorists to link mechanism to function. H...

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The Research Works Act would deny taxpayers access to federally funded research.

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:59:00 +0100

The short of it ( covered in depth by Michael Eisen , and Razib tipped me off to the issue ) is that Carolyn Maloney, a congresswoman funded by Elsevier, which is a major for-profit publishing company, is trying to pass the Research Works Act, which would deny Americans free access to research funded by taxpayer money. Currently, any research funded by the National Institute of Health must be made freely available to the public 12 months after publication. You can see why for-profit publishing companies do not like this policy. After 12 months, they can no longer turn a profit on any research they publish that was funded by the NIH. From Eisen’s post: The policy has provided access for physicians and their patients, teachers and their students, policymakers and the public to hundreds...

Cooperation among Pharmaceutical, Medical and Nursing Schools Aimed at 6-year Pharmaceutical Education.

Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:00:04 +0100

Authors: Ono H, Kurono Y Abstract Eleven universities which have pharmacy, medical or nursing school, have cooperated in an attempt to build the human and material systems for 6-year pharmacy education and to apply them to practical pharmacy educations. Members are Nagoya City University, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, University of Shizuoka, Aichi Gakuin University, Kinjo Gakuin University, Meijo University, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Mie University, Aichi Medical University and Fujita Health University. Tokai Cooperation Center for Clinical Pharmacy Education, the steering committee and 5 subcommittees established following projects; 1) WEB-based system for supplementary lesson of natural science (for freshmen), 2) FD (Faculty ...

Cooperation of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences between Private and National Universities to Educate Professionals in the Fields of Drug Development and Rational Pharmacotherapy.

Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:00:04 +0100

Authors: Iwakawa S Abstract Cooperation in education and research in medical and pharmaceutical sciences between Kobe Pharmaceutical University and Kobe University was started in 2008 for training professionals in drug development and rational pharmacotherapy. Initially, we started a two-year pharmacy residency program. Our pharmacy residents can attend lectures at our universities, and they also help pharmacist preceptors educate undergraduate pharmacy students in practical training. As curricula for cooperative education of pharmacy, nursing and medical students, we developed two new elective subjects (early exposure to clinical training for first year students and IPW (inter-professional work) seminar for fifth year pharmacy students) to learn about the roles of health care prof...

UK government proposes science universities

Chemistry World | Latest News — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:11:49 +0100

New type of university would receive no public money with funding to come from businesses (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

African conference calls for new agricultural universities

SciDev.Net — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:55:55 +0100

A conference has called for new agricultural universities in East and Central Africa with a focus on innovation. (Source: SciDev.Net)

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Alternate light sources in sexual assault examinations: An evidence‐based practice project

Journal of Forensic Nursing — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe ability of sexual assault nurse examiners to correctly identify and collect DNA evidence improves patient outcomes and prosecution rates. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a collaborative evidence‐based practice (EBP) project between forensic nurses and baccalaureate nursing students. The goal of the project was to determine best practice using an alternate light source (ALS) to identify trace DNA evidence in sexual assault forensic examinations. Using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence‐based Practice model, the team searched several databases to summarize the limited amount of evidence available regarding this topic. Recommendations from the EBP project include: elimination of the Wood's lamp in sexual assault examinations; use of an ALS that provides a...

Scientists call for repeal of “deluded” ESPRC measure

News from STM — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:18:21 +0100

January 5, 2012. More than 100 senior chemists, physicists and mathematicians have written to David Willetts, the universities and science minister, to demand the repeal of a raft of recent policy initiatives by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. http://bit.ly/z1TR60 (Source: News from STM)

Experimental hepatitis C vaccine tested

NHS News Feed — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0100

Conclusion This was a small, early-stage human study into a new vaccine against the hepatitis C virus. While such research is required to determine the safety profile of a new therapy, little information on the effectiveness of the vaccine can be gleaned from the study. Phase I clinical trials are designed to determine the optimal dose of a new therapy, and to assess the safety and tolerability of treatments. This study shows that the developed vaccine is well tolerated and safe to use, and the preliminary results indicate that the immune response may be similar to that of people with a natural immunity to the virus. In addition to the small study size and the focus on safety and not effectiveness, there are other practical limitations to the study that should be considered before it is co...

Discovery Of One Of The Most Porous Materials To Date Will Improve Control In Drug Delivery

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

The delivery of pharmaceuticals into the human body or the storage of voluminous quantities of gas molecules could now be better controlled, thanks to a study by University of Pittsburgh researchers. In a paper published online in Nature Communications, a team of chemists and colleagues from Pitt's Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the Pitt School of Medicine and Northwestern and Durham universities have posed an alternative approach toward building porous materials... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Plan for privately funded science university

Physics Today News Picks — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

BBC: A new type of graduate school for science and technology was announced on 4 January by the UK's universities minister David Willetts. The advanced research center would rely on international partnerships and corporate sponsorship and receive no additional government funding. The move is part of an overall push to encourage business and industry investment in research; Willetts has proposed to increase nongovernment funding for universities in general by 10%. (Source: Physics Today News Picks)

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Where's the smart money? Private sector urged to run universities – and turn Nobels into cash

The Independent - Science — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:01 +0100

A private American college paid for by a billionaire businessman was cited yesterday by a Government minister as the model for a new type of British university specialising in science and technology. (Source: The Independent - Science)

Time to differentiate ‘decreased kidney function’ from ‘kidney disease’: towards improving the definition of chronic kidney disease

International Urology and Nephrology — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:00:56 +0100

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become an ‘epidemic’ worldwide, since the publication of K/DOQI guidelines in 2002. This classification indeed has raised the profile of CKD worldwide. However, despite limitations of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimating equations, the majority of this epidemic is caused by the large number of persons with stage 3 CKD, with many elderly individuals with ‘low-normal GFR’ being diagnosed with CKD, when, in fact, the majority of those may not have the disease, and a handful of resources being utilized in investigating these relatively ‘low-risk patients’ with ‘decreased eGFR’ without CKD. Recently, concerns have been raised by nephrologists about this classification system, and I strongly feel that it is imp...

UK universities 'struggle' to recruit midwife teachers

Nursing in Practice — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:12:00 +0100

The majority of UK universities are in breach of NMC standards by allowing midwife student-teacher ratios to slip (Source: Nursing in Practice)

Midterm Results of the Treatment of Cartilage Defects in the Knee Using Alginate Beads Containing Human Mature Allogenic Chondrocytes

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: This investigation provided useful information on the efficacy of the implantation of alginate beads containing human mature allogenic chondrocytes for the treatment of cartilage lesions in the knee. The midterm clinical outcome of the presented technique was satisfactory. However, these results were not confirmed by the MRI findings. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

The relationship of vibratory perception to dynamic joint loading, radiographic severity, and pain in knee osteoarthritis

Arthritis and Rheumatism — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionThese findings demonstrate an association between greater somatosensory deficits and higher dynamic loads in OA. They also demonstrate structural consequences associated with somatosensory deficits in OA, since the extent of sensory loss directly correlated with the radiographic severity of knee OA. However, there was no relationship observed between vibratory sense and symptomatic knee OA pain. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)

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ScienceDirect: Your Link to JNEB

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ScienceDirect is one of the largest online collections of journals in the world, operated by our JNEB publisher, Elsevier. What does that mean to you? If you are an SNEB member, you have access to all of JNEB online through www.jneb.org. If you are not an SNEB member, you may still have access to all of JNEB through ScienceDirect. Most universities and many institutions have contracts with Elsevier for journal subscriptions. How can you tell? (Source: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior)

Morton edward bitterman (1921-2011).

The American Psychologist — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Balsam P Abstract Presents an obituary for Mortan Edward "Jeff" Bitterman. Bitterman obtained his doctorate in 1945 and remained at Cornell as a professor until moving to the University of Texas (UT) in 1950 at the invitation of K. M. Dallenbach, a former mentor at Cornell. Over his career, Bitterman studied at least a dozen different species (often inventing new apparatus), and found that the laws underlying probability learning, extinction after partial reinforcement, and discrimination reversals differed across vertebrate species. Bitterman was invited to universities in two dozen countries around the world, where he actively promoted keen scientific study of comparative behavior to psychologists and to biologists and neuroscientists who needed the methods of behavioris...

First Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) Neglected Diseases and Innovation Symposium.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Musselwhite LW, Maciag K, Lankowski A, Gretes MC, Wellems TE, Tavera G, Goulding RE, Guillen E Abstract Abstract. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines organized its first Neglected Diseases and Innovation Symposium to address expanding roles of public sector research institutions in innovation in research and development of biomedical technologies for treatment of diseases, particularly neglected tropical diseases. Universities and other public research institutions are increasingly integrated into the pharmaceutical innovation system. Academic entities now routinely undertake robust high-throughput screening and medicinal chemistry research programs to identify lead compounds for small molecule drugs and novel drug targets. Furthermore, product development partners...

Give Us This Day Our Daily Breadth

Child Development — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

As with any discipline, the field of child development progresses by both deepening and broadening its conceptual and empirical perspective. The rewards to refinement are impressive, but there is little need for encouragement in this area, since existing disciplines, universities, and funding agencies reward depth. The current study makes the case for breadth: for combining insights from different disciplines and methods in synergistic ways. Examples include influences of family poverty on children, inequality and child development, and methods for assessing impacts of policies. Drawing together disparate ideas from different research traditions can be not only time consuming and frustrating but also deeply rewarding, both scientifically and personally. The study closes with thoughts about...

Human Skull Study Causes Evolutionary Headache

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Scientists studying a unique collection of human skulls have shown that changes to the skull shape thought to have occurred independently through separate evolutionary events may have actually precipitated each other. Researchers at the Universities of Manchester and Barcelona examined 390 skulls from the Austrian town of Hallstatt and found evidence that the human skull is highly integrated, meaning variation in one part of the skull is linked to changes throughout the skull... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Viruses Zapped With Plasma Treatment Before They Can Attack Cells

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Adenoviruses can cause respiratory, eye, and intestinal tract infections, and, like other viruses, must hijack the cellular machinery of infected organisms in order to produce proteins and their own viral spawn. Now an international research team made up of scientists from Chinese and Australian universities has found a way to disrupt the hijacking process by using plasma to damage the viruses in the laboratory environment, before they come into contact with host cells... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Knowledge mobilization regarding activity and exercise after spinal cord injury: a Canadian undergraduate curriculum scan.

Disability and Rehabilitation — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: A substantial number of future healthcare professionals lack exposure to material regarding activity and exercise after SCI during their undergraduate education. This curricular oversight likely contributes to ineffective exercise strategies and the relative inactivity of the SCI population. [Box: see text]. PMID: 22206494 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Disability and Rehabilitation)

Analysis on the incidence and risk factors of campus violence among college students in Guangzhou. - Wang C, Dong XM, Dai JF, Chi GB, Wang SY, Dong S, Peng L.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:51:29 +0100

OBJECTIVE: To explore the incidence and risk factors of campus violence in Guangzhou. METHODS: 2200 college students in three universities in Guangzhou were selected by cluster sampling method and were interviewed with self-designed questionnaire about the... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Effect of high‐speed power training on muscle performance, function, and pain in older adults with knee osteoarthritis: A pilot investigation

Arthritis Care and Research — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:50:15 +0100

ConclusionHSPT was effective at improving function and pain, but no more so than either SSST or CON. Because HSPT improved multiple muscle performance measures (strength, power, and speed), it is a more effective resistance training protocol than SSST and may increase safety in this population, especially when high‐speed movements are required during daily tasks. (Source: Arthritis Care and Research)

The impact of ‘Generation Y’ occupational therapy students on practice education

Australian Occupational Therapy Journal — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Overall, the results of this study suggest that ‘Generation Y’ students are having both a negative and a positive impact on practice education in occupational therapy. For educators, management of the overconfident student and professional reasoning development should be addressed in university practice education workshops. For students, the need for clarification of placement expectations on professional behaviour and communication was indicated. Students may also require ‘listening to feedback’ skill development prior to practice education. Universities and practice educators should consider the development of technological resources for practice education, including simulation, to meet the needs of the, now recognised ‘Generation Y’ student. (Source: Australi...

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Who contributes to the occupational health evidence base?

Occupational Medicine — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Services provided in the NHS and other public sector organizations are important contributors of new evidence in occupational health. Commissioners of public sector services should take account of the importance of this to the research and innovation in occupational health. (Source: Occupational Medicine)

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Early Versus Late Aquatic Therapy After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Early start of aquatic therapy had contrary effects after TKA when compared with THA and it influenced clinical outcomes after TKA. Although the treatment differences did not achieve statistically significance, the effect size for early aquatic therapy after TKA had the same magnitude as the effect size of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. However, the results of this study do not support the use of early aquatic therapy after THA. The timing of physiotherapeutic interventions has to be clearly defined when conducting studies to evaluate the effect of physiotherapeutic interventions after TKA and THA. (Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

Uganda: Closer Look At High Varsity HIV Rates

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:53:19 +0100

In response to a 2010 HIV sero-behavioural study in six universities in Uganda that ranked the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) second highest in HIV prevalence rates amongst universities, students mention poorly administered sex education and a strict code of conduct being forced onto them by the university administration as some of the likely reasons for their position. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Nigeria: Graduates of Some Medical Colleges Barred From Practising in UK

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:11:15 +0100

Graduates of medical colleges from nine Nigerian universities seeking to register or obtain a licence to practise in the United Kingdom (UK) have been barred by the General Medical Council (GMC) of the UK. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

The role of the Professional Doctorate in developing professional practice

Journal of Nursing Management — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Conclusions are then drawn which the authors believe will be of use to those managing, developing and studying on, Professional Doctorate programmes.Implications for Nursing Management The present study then explores the issues which the authors have experienced over the past 5 years in running the scheme and highlights the potential benefits of the professional doctorate for organizations. (Source: Journal of Nursing Management)

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Patient acceptable symptom state and OMERACT–OARSI set of responder criteria in joint replacement. Identification of cut-off values

Osteoarthritis and Cartilage — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: With the provided data we can establish when a patient can be considered as satisfied/responder in joint replacement. The scores achieved at 1 year were very similar according to both criteria. (Source: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage)

Best Advice on College Admissions? What To DO; Part 2

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:56:02 +0100

Colleges and universities want to admit students who will thrive, learn, participate, and enjoy their experience; they also want students who will complete their degrees in a timely fashion. Show that you are one of them. Primary Topic: Education read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Assessment of the impact of proprioceptive exercises on balance and proprioception in patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis

Rheumatology International — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:47:19 +0100

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the proprioceptive exercises on balance, proprioceptive perception and clinical findings in advanced-stage knee osteoarthritis. Fifty-four patients diagnosed as having knee osteoarthritis according to the American Collage of Rheumatology criteria with grade of 3 or higher according to the Kellgren–Lawrence scale were enrolled in the study. Patients were allocated randomly into two groups. The study group included 30 patients, and the control group included 24 patients. The proprioceptive perception was assessed by the ability to reproduce the knee position. The balance function was assessed by stabilometric evaluation in static and dynamic patterns. The clinical evaluation was made by using Western Ontario and McMaster Un...

Kaist expresses appreciation to a Swedish nurse served in the Korean War and donated a scholarship

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)) In late June of 2011, Rune and Kerstin Jonasson donated 700 million Krona to Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and the couple requested that a portion of the money be used to promote academic interaction and collaboration with KAIST. With the financial support from the Jonassons, the two universities have decided to invite KAIST students to study in Sweden. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Outcomes after total hip replacement based on patients' basal status, what results you can expect

Arthritis Care and Research — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions:Cut‐points of expected gain after THR can help clinicians, researchers, and managers to identify suitable candidates for THR, although such measures must be used with caution. © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology (Source: Arthritis Care and Research)

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The Lord Gave To NYC Tech Start-Ups And Universities, And The Lord Hath Taken Away

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:53:11 +0100

Big news out of New York City: Stanford pulled out of Bloomberg's applied sciences university "competition" after Cornell got an enormous donation, leaving the upstate university the front runner to build a new campus, likely on Roosevelt Island. This comes with up to $100 million in state subsidies, plus free land and invaluable planning acquiescence. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Universities are central to innovation

MEDEV News — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:28:29 +0100

HEFCE welcomes the Government's Innovation and Research Strategy which recognises that universities are a central element to the nation's innovation system. (Source: MEDEV News)

Biomechanical considerations in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis of the knee

Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:47:50 +0100

Abstract Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease and a major cause of disability. The knee is the large joint most affected. While chronological age is the single most important risk factor of osteoarthritis, the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis in the young patient is predominantly related to an unfavorable biomechanical environment at the joint. This results in mechanical demand that exceeds the ability of a joint to repair and maintain itself, predisposing the articular cartilage to premature degeneration. This review examines the available basic science, preclinical and clinical evidence regarding several such unfavorable biomechanical conditions about the knee: malalignment, loss of meniscal tissue, cartilage defects and joint instability or laxity. L...

Ministry of Cheer visits Bristol students to spread safer drinking messages

University of Bristol news — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:41:21 +0100

A new campaign is urging students at Bristol University to keep their festive frivolities under control this Christmas. The Ministry of Cheer is touring local universities and colleges in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, aiming to help students make safer choices when indulging this winter. (Source: University of Bristol news)

Shared flavor compounds show up on US menus, rare in Asian cuisines

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(Indiana University) North Americans and Western Europeans love a good mix of alpha-terpineol, 4-methylpentanoic acid and ethyl propionate for dinner, flavor compounds shared in popular ingredients like tomatoes, parmesan cheese and white wine. Authentic East Asian recipes, on the other hand, tend to avoid mixing ingredients with many shared flavor compounds, according to new complex networks research from Indiana, Harvard, Cambridge and Northeastern universities. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Australian dental students views on a compulsory internship scheme

Health Education Journal — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Support for an internship scheme for dental graduates elicited a divided opinion amongst dental students. Many issues around financing and logistics have to be addressed before any such scheme could be implemented in Australia: there is a need to consult with dental graduates and promote the benefits to the student body. (Source: Health Education Journal)

Universities mine data to improve student performance

Physics Today News Picks — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Chronicle of Higher Education: When Eric Mazur saw in 1991 that his Harvard physics class couldn’t apply his lecture on Newton’s laws to real-life problems, he realized that many traditional teaching methods are ineffective. Thus he began gathering information on his students to improve his pedagogical techniques. Such data mining is now beginning to be used by administrators at the university and college level to improve the admissions process, the teaching of courses, and student advising. By gathering statistics on prospective and current students, officials say, they can better determine which schools would be a good fit and even predict a student’s success or failure in a given class. Students are also starting to use the new data-based tools to choose courses and ma...

Efficacy of low level laser therapy associated with exercises in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind study.

Clinical Rehabilitation — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that low level laser therapy when associated with exercises is effective in yielding pain relief, function and activity on patients with osteoarthritis of the knees. PMID: 22169831 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Clinical Rehabilitation)

Boston Scientific, 760 firms hit by China-based cyber attacks (report)

bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:17:40 +0100

Boston-based medical device maker Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) is among 760 firms that have been hit by China-based cyber attacks, according to a new report. The victims include research universities, Internet service providers and government agencies. It was not clear what information, if any, may have been compromised in the reported attack. A Boston Scientific spokeswoman could not immediately be reached. The report, published Tuesday by Bloomberg News, named six industry sectors that are the focus of China-based attacks: Advanced semiconductors; Biotechnology; Clean energy; High-end manufacturing; Information technology; and Medical devices... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines)

U-Md. Terps’ cutbacks and why big universities need small sports

Wash Post Health — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:23:01 +0100

By tradition in our part of town, one family hosts the spaghetti dinner before each high school track meet. Our high school always has a large team, and when it was our turn one evening a number of years ago, the scene in my home was predictable. Kids everywhere: on the couches, in the chairs, in the basement, on the stairs, splayed out across every inch of floor space. Read full article >> (Source: Wash Post Health)

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Pink v blue - are children born with gender preferences?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:03:00 +0100

Hamleys has abandoned its toy shop 'gender apartheid', scrapping its separate floors for boys and girls and their respective blue and pink signs. Are colour and toy preference dictated by nature or nurture? Polly Curtis, with your help, finds out. Get in touch below the line, email your views to polly.curtis@guardian.co.uk or tweet @pollycurtisThe Times and FT report today (£) that Hamleys, is ditching its separate floors for boys and girls along with their pink and blue signs and replacing them with signs that simply state the types of toys sold. The Times story says:Hamleys, the country's most famous toy store, has abandoned its traditional separate floors for boys and girls after a campaign on Twitter accused it of operating "gender apartheid". New signs in the store now state what typ...

The Sexual Assault of Undergraduate Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Journal of Interpersonal Violence — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Although research has shown that undergraduate women are at high risk for experiencing sexual assault, little research has been conducted with undergraduate women who are attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU). The purpose of this research is to document the prevalence of different types of sexual assault among undergraduate women at HBCUs and make comparisons to data collected from undergraduate women at non-HBCUs. Data on sexual assault victimization were collected from 3,951 undergraduate women at HBCUs using a cross-sectional, web-based survey. These data are compared to data collected from 5,446 undergraduate women at non-HBCUs using the same research methods. Findings indicate that approximately 9.7% of undergraduate women at HBCUs report experiencing a completed...

Two Irish universities lead study of rare cancer

The Irish Times - Health — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:33:16 +0100

TWO IRISH universities are leading a new clinical study into treatment for a rare and very debilitating type of bone marrow cancer. The study into combined oral medications to treat advanced myelofibrosis will be conducted at NUI Galway (NUIG) and Trinity College Dublin. (Source: The Irish Times - Health)

Low-Density Lipoprotein Treatment Breakthrough

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100

A novel breakthrough advance in fighting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol in the body has been announced by investigators from the University of Leicester and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The universities have filed two patents in order to develop targeted medications designed to lower levels of LDL. LDL is frequently associated to medical conditions, such as stroke, heart disease and clogged arteries. Cells in the liver generate an LDL receptor that attaches to "bad" cholesterol and eliminates it from the blood, thus reducing cholesterol levels... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Skin Picking in Turkish Students: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Gender Differences

Behavior Modification — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, triggers, and consequences of skin picking (SP) in a sample of Turkish university students, with an emphasis on gender differences. A total of 245 students from two universities in Turkey were assessed by using the Skin Picking Inventory. In total, 87.8% of the students reported engaging in SP, and 2.04% of the students had pathological SP. There was no statistically significant difference between female and male students regarding the frequency of SP and the estimated daily SP time. The SP episodes began earlier in men than in women. Women were found to pick their chins, whereas men were found to pick their legs more frequently. SP is prevalent among Turkish students. Triggers, characteristics, and consequences of SP...

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Burnout syndrome among dental students: a short version of the "Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire" adapted for students(BCSQ-12-SS)

BMC Medical Education — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Background: Burnout has been traditionally defined in relation to the dimensions of "exhaustion", "cynicism", and "inefficiency". More recently, the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-12) further established three different subtypes of burnout: the "frenetic" subtype (related to "overload"), the "under-challenged" subtype (related to "lack of development"), and the "worn-out" subtype (related to "neglect"). However, to date, these definitions have not been applied to students. The aims of this research were (1) to adapt a Spanish version of the BCSQ-12 for use with students, (2) to test its factorial validity, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and (3) to assess potential socio-demographic and occupational risk factors associated with the development of t...

Fit for purpose: Australia's National Fitness Campaign.

Med J Aust — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Collins JA, Lekkas P Abstract During a time of war, the federal government passed the National Fitness Act 1941 to improve the fitness of the youth of Australia and better prepare them for roles in the armed services and industry. Implementation of the National Fitness Act made federal funds available at a local level through state-based national fitness councils, which coordinated promotional campaigns, programs, education and infrastructure for physical fitness, with volunteers undertaking most of the work. Specifically focused on children and youth, national fitness councils supported the provision of children's playgrounds, youth clubs and school camping programs, as well as the development of physical education in schools and its teaching and research in universities....

A Forum for Integrating the Life Sciences

AIBS BioScience Editorials — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:54:58 +0100

Scientific societies have long held an important place in the history of science. The first scientific academy, or what we would now call a scientific society, dates from Italy in the mid-1600s. Exciting, creative research was being done within the emerging societies of this period even more so than in many universities of the time. Today's universities and scientific societies have only a passing resemblance to those of the late Renaissance; most notably, the locus of the process of discovery has traded positions between the two. Rather than serving as a place where research is conducted, the average scientific society today plays a supporting role by publishing journals; sponsoring meetings; acting as a center for professional networks; mentoring young scholars; and, in the United State...

Academia grows its role in drug discovery

Chemistry World | Latest News — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:23:20 +0100

Report claims patents filed by universities around the world are growing rapidly while pharma patents are stagnating (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)