Worrying rise in number of medical students in prostitution over last 10 years

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• Worrying rise in number of medical students in prostitution over last 10 years
• New measuring techniques can improve efficiency, safety of nanoparticles
• Future smart phones will project images on the wall
• Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia
• Washington University gets grant to study the human virome in kids
• Developing sustainable power
• National Jewish Health receives grant to improve care of asthma patients in the San Luis Valley
• Notre Dame researchers are providing insights into elephant behavior and conservation issues
• Which type of obesity surgery is best?
• Rocket launches from Poker Flat Research Range

Worrying rise in number of medical students in prostitution over last 10 years Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) One in ten students now claim to know someone who is using prostitution to pay for university fees, a medical student writing for the Student BMJ claims. Although the numbers are still small, this figure as a percentage, is two and a half times larger than 10 years ago when just 4% of students claimed to know a peer placing themselves in the sex trade. This figure rose to 6% in 2006 and now stands at just under 10%. The author, a final year medical student at the University of Birmingham, writes about the obvious correlation between rising tuition fees and the prevalence of prostitution among students. She argues that it is due to the rising costs of both tuition and living that students are finding themselves in huge amounts of debt. The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) has noticed an increase in the number of calls from students considering sex work. A spokesperson for the ECP says that many medical students think "prostitution is the only means of financial survival. […] Jobs in shops and pubs that students usually take up are increasingly scarce and low paid". Medical schools do not believe that prostitution among students is widespread. They have no specific rule on this matter but do suggest that medical students act within the General Medical Council's guidance for medical practice, "Duties of a doctor". However, this does not necessarily state that a doctor cannot be a prostitute. Furthermore, no case has been recorded in which a patient's health has suffered because a doctor also worked in this trade. The author concludes that because there is no official guidance on the issue, there is no clear answer for students. What is worrying, she writes, is when students think "they have no choice but to resort to prostitution" and questions whether the "hike in fees" will lead to an increase in students entering the sex trade. An accompanying editorial looks at the case of a medical student who faced either... http://www.rxpgnews.com

New measuring techniques can improve efficiency, safety of nanoparticles Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) BOSTON -- (Feb. 28, 2012) -- Using high-precision microscopy and X-ray scattering techniques, University of Oregon researchers have gained eye-opening insights into the process of applying green chemistry to nanotechnology that results in high yields, improves efficiency and dramatically reduces waste and potential negative exposure to human health or the environment. University of Oregon chemist James E. Hutchison described his lab's recent efforts to monitor the dynamics of nanoparticles in an invited talk today at the American Physical Society's March Meeting (Feb. 27-March 2). It turns out, Hutchison said, that simply reducing the amount of gold -- the material used in his research -- in the initial stages of the process used to grow nanoparticles allows for better maintenance of the particle size. That accomplishment, he said, has important implications. The use of lower concentrations of the precursor that forms the nanoparticles virtually eliminates the ability of nanoparticles to aggregate together and thus prevents variations of sizes of the desired end product. What we saw while observing the production process with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was amazing, Hutchison, said in an interview before his lecture. We realized that it is possible to reduce the concentration of gold and allow the particles to still grow, but shutdown the coalescent, or aggregation, pathway. He also summarized his lab's use of chemically modified grids (Smart Grids) in transmission electron microscopy to study how nanoparticles are shed from common objects such as silverware and copper jewelry -- findings that were detailed in the journal ACS Nano in October. They studied the transformation of silver nanoparticles coated on Smart Grids as well as the common objects and found that all forms produce smaller silver nanoparticles that could disperse into the environment, especially in humid air, water and light -- and likely have been doing... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Future smart phones will project images on the wall Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Mobile phones currently on the market are capable of showing high quality images and video, but the phones' small size sets insurmountable limits on screen size, and thus the viewing experience. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, EpiCrystals Oy and the Aalto University are developing a better laser light source for projectors that will be integrated into mobile phones, which will enable accurate and efficient projection of, for example, photographs and movies on any surface. Mobile phones equipped with the laser light source can be within the ordinary consumer's reach already in a few years time. Small-size laser projectors 1-2 centimetres in length can be integrated into many kinds of electronic appliances, such as digital or video cameras, gaming devices and mobile phones. Integrated micro projectors could, in practice, project images the size of an A3 sheet of paper on a wall. The challenge is to develop a small, energy-efficient and luminous three-colour (RGB) light source, whose manufacturing costs can be kept low, for use in the projectors. Solutions for these challenges are sought in a project combining Finnish know-how, whose parties are VTT, EpiCrystals Inc. and the Aalto University. The project has successfully combined multi-technological know-how from VTT and its partners in the project, from manufacturing materials and the accurate focusing of laser chips all the way to production line design. The project was launched last autumn, and we are now entering the stage where we can move from brainstorming and design to building prototypes. It is our goal to prove by next summer that large quantities of the new laser light sources can be manufactured quickly and economically , says Principal Scientist Timo Aalto from VTT. EpiCrystals Inc. aims straight for the global market with its product, and it is the company's goal to be the technology and market leader in laser light sources for micro projectors by 2015. We... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A UT Dallas professor is studying the differences between the social impairments found in autism and schizophrenia to help develop better treatments for people with both disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia are distinct disorders with unique characteristics, but they share similarities in social dysfunction. For many years, this similarity resulted in confusion in diagnosis. Many young people with ASD were thought to have a childhood version of schizophrenia, said Dr. Noah Sasson, assistant professor in the UT Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Sasson points out that clear differences exist between people diagnosed with schizophrenia and ASD. Symptoms of ASD can be seen from very early in life, while the onset of schizophrenia typically occurs in young adulthood. And individuals who have schizophrenia often experience hallucinations and delusional thoughts, which are far less common in individuals with ASD. An overlapping problem for both clinical groups is a difficulty with social interaction. Both groups are known to be poor at recognizing social cues. They often have difficulty identifying emotion in other people, so their reactions may seem inappropriate. By not picking up on the subtle cues in interactions, adults with ASD or schizophrenia may alienate other people and have trouble making friends or getting along with classmates or co-workers. Along with collaborators at Southern Methodist University, Sasson is conducting new research at the UT Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders that compares the basis for social interaction impairments between adults with ASD and adults with schizophrenia. He is attempting to understand the mechanisms that underlie their social limitations. Because the two disorders are different in so many ways, it is likely that the basis for their social impairments differs as well, he said. Understanding these differences will be key for developing... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Washington University gets grant to study the human virome in kids Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Not all viruses make us sick. But which ones are friends and which ones are foes? Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a five-year, $3.3 million grant to study children with weakened immune systems to identify the viruses that make children sick. The grant comes from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The researchers are looking at the total collection of viruses living in or on the body, called the human virome. Some of these viruses cause no harm, while others cause acute, persistent or latent infection, says Gregory A. Storch, MD, the Ruth L. Siteman Professor of Pediatrics and principal investigator of the project. We're learning that some viruses are part of our normal constitution, and not all of them cause symptoms, such as fever, says Storch, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Our goal is to get a better understanding of which viruses might cause illness in children with compromised immune systems and how to best treat them. Children with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to infections. They frequently have illnesses with fevers, but physicians can't always pinpoint a specific cause. It is possible that these children may be infected with novel viruses that may not sicken children with healthy immune systems, Storch says. Comparing what we find in these children with children whose immune systems aren't suppressed will show us how the immune system usually keeps viruses under control, says Storch, who is internationally recognized as an expert in virology and the molecular identification of new and emerging pathogens. By putting it all together, we want to draw some conclusions about which viruses cause illness. For the study, Storch's research team will collect samples from 400 children with weakened immune systems. These include children born with... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Developing sustainable power Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The invention of a long-lasting incandescent light bulb in the 19th century spurred on the second wave of the industrial revolution, illuminating homes, extending leisure time and bringing us to the point today where many millions of people use a whole range of devices from mood lighting to audiovisual media centers, microwave ovens to fast-freeze ice makers, and allergy-reducing vacuum cleaners to high-speed broadband connected computers in their homes without a second thought. However, the waves of the industrialization of the west have merely lapped at the shores of undeveloped regions and it is estimated that about a quarter of the world's population, particularly those in rural parts of the developing world do not have access to electricity in their homes. Indeed, four-fifths of those without domestic electricity live in rural or on the urban margins. In sub-Saharan Africa, the proportion is even more startling where just 8% of the rural population has access to electricity. Those in the developing countries are thus keen to electrify and need stable sources of power to stimulate development and improve their standard of living. The developed world is gradually recognizing the environmental costs of widespread electricity use, yet has neither the right nor the authority to deprive the developing nations of power. There is a need, therefore, to provide 100% off-grid zero-energy solutions that require little or no government involvement and are low maintenance. This would allow the developing world to wade into the technology the developed world enjoys without making the same woefully polluting mistakes regarding unsustainable power generation that are now a global problem. Benedict Ilozor and Mohammed Kama of the Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, USA, suggest that renewable energy is a viable option for electrical power in developing and emerging nations. Writing in the inaugural issue of the African Journal of... http://www.rxpgnews.com

National Jewish Health receives grant to improve care of asthma patients in the San Luis Valley Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) National Jewish Health has received a grant for $950,308 from GlaxoSmithKline to improve care of asthma patients in Colorado's San Luis Valley with educational materials for patients and hands-on training for primary health care teams. Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and adults, and is the greatest cause of missed school days. The San Luis Valley has one of the highest asthma rates in the state. The two-year Independent Medical Educational Program Grant will allow National Jewish Health to provide primary health care teams in Colorado's San Luis Valley with hands-on training to help physicians and healthcare teams better diagnose and manage asthma. This is a great opportunity for our providers and nursing staff to help patients and families learn about asthma and develop the skills that will help them control their disease, said Denise Trujillo, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing at Valley Wide Health Systems. With well-controlled asthma they are much more likely to stay active and healthy. Children in the San Luis Valley are among the hardest hit by asthma. In the San Luis Valley, Alamosa and Rio Grande counties have some of the highest rates of hospitalizations for pediatric asthma. Reports show that 14-percent of school-aged children in the San Luis Valley have been diagnosed with asthma by a health care provider, compared to a national average of 9.5 percent. In response to this need, Conejos County Hospital, the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center and Valley-Wide Health Systems Inc have partnered with National Jewish Health to develop a program known as Quality Asthma Care in the San Luis Valley. The National Jewish Health program seeks to provide sustainable improvements in asthma care to two hospitals and a network of provider clinics in the rural San Luis Valley, all of which provide care to a population at risk for significant disparities in health and high asthma burden. The population is a rural... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Notre Dame researchers are providing insights into elephant behavior and conservation issues Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Last year, Kenya lost 278 elephants to poachers, as compared to 177 in 2010. On the continent of Africa as whole, elephants have declined from an estimated 700,000 in 1990 to 360,000 today due to the demands of the ivory trade. Spend some time with University of Notre Dame researchers Elizabeth Archie and Patrick Chiyo and you'll gain a better understanding of just what a tragic loss elephant poaching is. A thinking, reasoning species with extraordinary memories, a strong sense of families and caring and nurturing natures are increasingly at the risk of extinction. Archie's Notre Dame lab combines fieldwork and genetics research to understand the causes and consequences of social behavior in wild mammals. Her research team examines how migration, mating and social patterns impact the genetics and evolution of a species and its fitness and susceptibility to diseases. Archie, Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor of Biology, and Chiyo, a Moreau postdoctoral fellow, use research techniques that range from behavioral observations of wild animals to noninvasive genetic tools to genotype species and their parasites and patterns. The research lab studies baboons in and elephants in Kenya. Archie and Chiyo work with the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), located just north of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, which is the longest running study of wild elephants. In the field, the researchers observe the behavior of the elephants and collect samples for genetic analysis, usually from noninvasive sources, such as dung. In their Notre Dame lab, they use the dung samples to characterize the parasites infecting individual animals and extract DNA to conduct genetic analysis. Their field work and genetic analysis are revealing fascinating insights into elephant population genetics and social behavior, as well as how human activities alter elephants' social and genetic structures. Their research has found, for example, that female... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Which type of obesity surgery is best? Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Surgery for obesity improves lives and may save money. There are two very commonly performed operations to treat morbid obesity in the UK but it is unclear which is the most effective and provides the greatest benefit for patients and the NHS. The BY-BAND study led by the University of Bristol and funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme will compare the outcomes of stomach bypass and stomach band operations. Professor Jane Blazeby, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon in the School of Social and Community Medicine at the University of Bristol, who is leading the study, said: Obesity is an increasing health problem in the UK, which is predicted to worsen. Current national guidelines recommend that surgery should be considered for morbidly obese people or for those remaining obese after trying other options. The BY-BAND study will compare two types of operation, gastric bypass and gastric banding, to find out which one has the greater benefits. BY-BAND will compare weight changes over three years between the two types of surgery and test specifically whether better overall quality of life is achieved with bypass surgery. Due to the way surgery is organised BY-BAND will have a short preliminary phase in two hospitals to work out the best ways to involve patients, surgeons, and other health professionals before including more centres across the country. The research team plan to study over 700 very over weight patients in a randomised trial. BY-BAND will also document differences in surgical complications, both at the time of surgery and for up to three years, and value for money for the NHS between the operations. Obese adults who are referred for obesity surgery under current government guidelines can participate in the study. Half of patients who take part will be treated with gastric band surgery and the other half with gastric bypass surgery. Both operations are... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Rocket launches from Poker Flat Research Range Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Fairbanks, Alaska -- On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8:41 p.m. Alaska time, scientists launched a NASA sounding rocket from Poker Flat Research Range into a brilliant aurora display. The rocket mission, designed to gather information on space weather conditions that affect satellite communications, was a success. It was a terrific aurora, the rocket worked great, the instruments worked great and the supporting radar (at Poker Flat) worked wonderfully, said Steve Powell of Cornell University, the principal investigator for the launch. We achieved all of our objectives. We're ecstatic over the results and our graduate students can't wait to sink their teeth into the data. After monitoring satellites earlier Saturday that showed an abundance of charged particles coming from the sun and streaming toward Earth's magnetic field, members of the rocket team, which included University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers and personnel from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, were prepared for a night of vigorous aurora. With clear skies at Poker Flat and also at the villages of Fort Yukon and Venetie, where they had narrow-field cameras aimed toward the sky, the scientists opened their launch window at 8 p.m. They watched the aurora dance directly overhead at Poker Flat, waited until the aurora was perfect over Fort Yukon and then launched the two-stage rocket. In the 10 minutes, 25 seconds it took for the rocket to arc to a high point 200 miles above Venetie to the payload's landing in northern Alaska, a complicated array of antennas deployed, and the rocket both gathered and then transmitted an immense amount of information back to Poker Flat. We got a CD of data in our pockets the same night, Powell said. Graduate students at Cornell University, the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College and the University of Oslo will use the data as part of their doctoral studies. Their goal is to better model Earth's upper atmosphere and... http://www.rxpgnews.com

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