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Science News for July 21, 1999


Primary care highly valued, but difficulty accessing specialists undermines patient trust, UCSF study finds

A new UCSF study found that nearly all patients value primary care physicians for coordinating their care and serving as a first point of contact. However, nearly a quarter of patients feel their primary care physician or medical group limits access to specialists, leading to lower trust and satisfaction levels.

Modifying plant genes without foreign DNA

Researchers at Cornell University's Boyce Thompson Institute have developed a novel approach to genetically modifying plants by using chimeraplasty, a method that coats gold particles with short chimeric DNA/RNA molecules. This technique has the potential to improve crop yields and nutritional value without involving foreign DNA.

SourceCornell University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 21, 1999

Dartmouth researchers urge caution in communicating results to public

A recent study led to misleading reports due to incorrect presentation of data, leading the researchers to urge for improved communication of research findings to the public. They suggest using absolute event rates, presenting risk ratios instead of odds ratios, and avoiding overgeneralization to provide realistic expectations.

SourceThe Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJul 21, 1999