GPs stopped giving alcohol advice to patients when they stopped being paid to do so

When the Department of Health (England) introduced financial incentives to encourage general practitioners (GPs) to talk to patients about their drinking in April 2008, there was a small, gradual increase in screening and the provision of alcohol advice. However, when the incentives stopped in 2015, rates of screening and advice-giving decreased immediately, and have stayed low ever since.

New test offers improved diagnosis and management of chronic hepatitis B

A report in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes a new and powerful laboratory tool that may improve the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The technique can simultaneously assess several indicators important for optimal patient management.

Protective mediators can help heal injured tendon cells by attacking inflammation

Tendon tears, both to the rotator cuff and Achilles heel, are common injuries, especially in aged individuals. Painful and disabling, they can adversely impact quality of life. New approaches are required to help patients suffering from chronic tendon injuries. A novel study in The American Journal of Pathology identified mediators that promote resolution of inflammation as potential new therapeutics to push chronically injured tendons down an inflammation-resolving pathway.

Capturing elephants from the wild hinders their reproduction for over a decade

Capturing elephants to keep in captivity not only hinders their reproduction immediately, but also has a negative effect on their calves, according to new research.

Ex-smokers, light smokers not exempt from lung damage

People who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day cause long-term damage to their lungs, according to a new study led by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

First entirely digital clinical trial encourages physical activity

As little as a daily ping on your phone can boost physical activity, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine and their collaborators report in a new study.

PET offers more precise screening method to select candidates for radionuclide therapy

A new study published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine evaluated the role of 68Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in selecting neuroendocrine tumor patients who may benefit from peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). Although historically guided by a Krenning score based on 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy, researchers found that Krenning scores based on PET/CT imaging were significantly higher and could more accurately detect patients eligible for PRRT. This is particularly relevant for patients with lesions of less than two centimeters, as the study showed that Krenning scores for these small-volume tumors were markedly higher when informed by PET/CT compared to 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy and could qualify the patients for PRRT when they would otherwise have been ineligible.

Scientists identify molecule that could have helped cells survive—and thrive—on early Earth

To truly understand how the body works and improve human health, researchers need to tease apart the building blocks of our cells. But as scientists continue to make major breakthroughs in cellular biology, an important question lingers: How did cells originally form billions of years ago?

Study recommends special protection of emperor penguins

In a new study published this week (Wednesday 9 October) in the journal Biological Conservation, an international team of researchers recommends the need for additional measures to protect and conserve one of the most iconic Antarctic species—the emperor penguin (Aptenodyptes forsteri).

Late third trimester ultrasound may detect missed fetal abnormalities

In a study published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology that involved more than 50,000 pregnancies, a fetal anomaly was detected for the first time in the third trimester in one in 200 women who had undergone a first and/or second trimester ultrasound examination.

Study examines timing of weight gain in children

Recent studies suggest kids tend to gain the most weight in summer, but schools are chastised for providing unhealthy food and beverages, along with decreasing opportunities for physical activity.

Autism spectrum disorders linked with excess weight gain in children

A recent meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews revealed that children with autism spectrum disorders had a 41.1% higher risk of developing obesity than matched groups of children, and on average, 22 out of 100 children with autism were found to have obesity.

Melatonin may not help prevent delirium after heart surgery

Delirium is observed in approximately 15% of hospitalised older adults, and it is more common in the critically ill and in those undergoing major surgery, such as heart surgery. Studies have found that blood levels of melatonin, a serotonin-derived hormone, decrease following surgery and are lower in surgical patients who develop delirium.

Can being neighborly reduce depression in older adults?

In a Health & Social Care in the Community study of 10,105 older adults in China examined in 2011, 2013, and 2015, living in neighbourhoods with a higher level of neighbourhood social participation was related to lower rates of depression.

Long-term dupilumab benefits adolescents with eczema

Results from a phase IIa open-label trial and a subsequent phase III open-label extension trial reinforce findings from an earlier short-term trial that adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, or eczema, can experience significant improvements with dupilumab. The results from these latest studies, which are reported in the British Journal of Dermatology, demonstrate the long-term safety and efficacy of the medication for up to 52 weeks of treatment.

Statins linked to higher risk of diabetes and skin infections

Statins have been reported to be beneficial for infections such as pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. In the case of skin and soft tissue infections however, statin use is ironically associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, which is a risk factor for such infections.

Study examines care for knee osteoarthritis in the United States

A new study published in Arthritis Care & Research provides an overview of U.S. physicians' recommendations for physical therapy, lifestyle counseling, pain medications for treating knee osteoarthritis.

Are steroids used too much for patients with inflammatory bowel disease?

Steroid therapy is commonly used to treat acute attacks of the inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease; however, because it does not provide long-term benefits and it carries a risk of serious side effects, it should not be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease for more than three months.

Predicting the impact of climate change on bridge safety

Climate change will ultimately affect our bridges. But to what extent?

Craving junk food after a sleepless night? Blame your nose, which sniffs out high fat, calorie-dense food

When you're sleep deprived, you tend to reach for doughnuts, fries and pizza. A new Northwestern Medicine study has figured out why you crave more calorie-dense, high-fat foods after a sleepless night—and how to help thwart those unhealthy choices.

Fentanyl's risk on the 'darknet'

U.S. overdose deaths attributed to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, have increased from under 3,000 in 2013 to nearly 20,000 in 2016, making up half of all opioid-related overdose deaths. These drugs are often purchased on the web's hidden "darknet." An analysis published in Contemporary Economic Policy that examined the darknet's opioid purchases from 2014 to 2016 found that vendors priced fentanyl in 2014 at a 90% discount compared with an equivalent dose of heroin.

How bats relocate in response to tree loss

Identifying how groups of animals select where to live is important for understanding social dynamics and for management and conservation. In a recent Journal of Wildlife Management study, researchers examined the movement of a maternity colony of big brown bats as a response to naturally occurring tree loss.

Badger behavior inside the cull zone

A study led by researchers at international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and Imperial College London has found that culling drives badgers to roam 61% further afield—helping to explain why the practice, intended to reduce bovine TB transmission, can sometimes exacerbate the problem instead.

Paclitaxel-coated devices are safe for unblocking arteries in lower limbs

Devices coated with a drug called paclitaxel that are used for widening blocked arteries in legs and feet are safe and not linked to an increase in deaths, according to a study of nearly 65,000 patients, published in the European Heart Journal today.

Survey finds less than half of Americans concerned about poor posture

The average American adult spends more than three and a half hours looking down at their smartphones every day. Looking down or slouching for long periods of time can not only cause chronic pain in the back, neck and knees, but it can lead to more serious health issues like circulation problems, heartburn and digestive issues if left unchecked. However, a new national survey by Orlando Health finds that too few Americans are concerned with the health effects of bad posture.

Johnson & Johnson must pay $8 bn over drug side effect: jury

A Pennsylvania jury ruled Tuesday that US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson must pay $8 billion in damages and interest for failing to warn that a psychiatric drug could cause breast growth in men.

Are we alone? Nobel Prize goes to three who tackled cosmic query

They are two of the most fundamental questions not just of science, but of humanity: How did we get here? And are we alone?