Giant rats to sniff out tuberculosis in Tanzania, Mozambique prisons. No this is not an April Fool story ... The APOPO centre is alive and active. “We believe our unique TB Detection Rat
technology will prove itself as an effective mass-screening tool," said
APOPO's U.S. director, Charlie Richter....
Source: reuters.com
Pioglitazone use and risk of bladder cancer: population based cohort study Marco Tuccori. Kristian B Filion. Hui Yin. Oriana H Yu. Robert W Platt. Laurent Azoulay. BMJ. The authors conclude, "The results of this large population based study indicate that
pioglitazone is associated with an increased...
Source: bmj.com
Good read. "Life on the Edge" by Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe McFadden covers the fascinating world of quantum biology. Could life be a delicate balance that organic molecules can provide to enable quantum coherence? The efficient quantum mechanisms of photosynthesis, magnetoreception, and enzymes are...
Source: amazon.co.uk
Study supports role of quantum effects in photosynthesis
Source: phys.org
Seeing takeaway food makes you eat more, say researchers in Fenland study. "Government strategies to promote healthier diets through planning restrictions for takeaway food could be most effective if focused around the workplace." Associations between exposure to takeaway food outlets, takeaway food...
Source: bmj.com
Estimated Effects of Different Alcohol Taxation and Price Policies on Health Inequalities: A Mathematical Modelling Study: In this mathematical modelling study, Petra Meier and colleagues estimate the impact of different alcohol taxation and pricing structures on consumption, spending, and health inequalities....
Source: plos.org
Evolution seems to have occurred a million times faster than natural selection alone could explain. Could nature be using some hidden process? Just read Probably Approximately Correct by Leslie Valiant (a computational theorist). It explores a special class of algorithms which he calls 'ecorthims' that...
Source: amazon.co.uk
Statin-Associated Autoimmune Myopathy - Now@NEJM: Statins significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease, are generally safe, and have an acceptable side-effect profile. It is now recognized, however, that in very rare cases, an autoimmune myopathy develops in patients treated with statins;...
Source: nejm.org
Study Supports Prednisolone as First-Line Treatment Option for Gout: By Amy Orciari Herman
Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Jaye Elizabeth Hefner, MD
Prednisolone and indomethacin are equally effective in relieving joint pain in patients with gout, according to an Annals of Internal Medicine...
Source: jwatch.org
10 ways MOOCs have forced Universities into a rethink. "MOOCs have made us think. As one of the most fascinating developments in
higher education in my lifetime, they are,in many ways, a pioneer of a
more ‘open’ spirit
in learning. I’d contend that MOOCs, for all their promises and faults,...
Source: blogspot.co.uk
Unified theory of ‘learning’ emerges – and it’s mind blowing. "You’ve
probably never heard of James Mark Baldwin, yet he turned out be one of the greats in learning theory. A 19th century psychologist, he
introduced what is called the ‘Baldwin Effect’ into evolutionary theory."
Source: blogspot.co.uk
Agreement of treatment effects for mortality from routinely collected data and subsequent randomized trials: meta-epidemiological survey Lars G Hemkens. Despina G Contopoulos-Ioannidis. John P A Ioannidis. BMJ.
Source: bmj.com
What are the Costs and Benefits of Providing Comprehensive Seven‐day Services for Emergency Hospital Admissions? Meacock, Rachel. Doran, Tim. Sutton, Matt. Health Economics. "There is as yet no clear evidence that 7-day services will reduce
weekend deaths or can be achieved without increasing weekday...
Source: wiley.com
Social norms interventions are not effective enough on their own to reduce alcohol use or misuse among university or college students | Cochrane
Source: cochrane.org
Tier 2 immigration cap preventing NHS from effective overseas recruitment - Hospital Dr
Source: hospitaldr.co.uk
APOD: 2015 December 6 - A Force from Empty Space: The Casimir Effect
Source: nasa.gov
Fat-Shaming Doesn't Motivate People to Lose Weight: The cards Overweight Haters Ltd. is handing out to passengers on the Tube aren’t just cruel; they’re ineffective.
Source: theatlantic.com
Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir successful in hep C regardless of genotype: (HealthDay)—Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir is effective for hepatitis C virus (HCV), regardless of genotype, according to three studies published online Nov. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide...
Source: medicalxpress.com
Media demonstrate ignorance of correlation vs. causation by reporting the coffee study in Circulation - Association of Coffee Consumption with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Three Large Prospective Cohorts. See reports in Telegraph, Tribune, BT news, South Wales Argus!, Harvard's own press release....
Source: ahajournals.org
Computer assisted CBT provides little or no benefits for depression: Researchers at the University of York have revealed computerized cognitive behavioral therapy is likely to be ineffective in the treatment of depression.
Source: eurekalert.org