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Science News for August 28, 2012


Beliefs drive investors more than preferences, study finds

A new study found that individual investors' decisions are primarily motivated by their beliefs about a stock's future rather than their feelings toward losses and gains. Investors act on their beliefs to speculate on stock prices, suggesting that the 'disposition effect' may be driven more by complex reasons than emotions.

SourceOhio State University·JournalReview of Financial Studies·DateAug 28, 2012

Not all lung cancer patients who could benefit from crizotinib are identified by FDA-approved test

A recent University of Colorado Cancer Center case study found a patient with ALK+ lung cancer who tested negative for the EML4-ALK fusion gene using the FDA-approved FISH assay, yet showed dramatic response to crizotinib. Next-gen sequencing revealed genetic shards that may have avoided detection by the test.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology·DateAug 28, 2012

Patient and family engagement key to improved health care

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Patient Care Program aims to improve healthcare by engaging patients and their families, reducing costs, and increasing patient safety. The program focuses on eliminating all preventable harms to adult patients in acute-care settings and reconfiguring clinical processes, care teams, and technolog...

Is long-term weight loss possible after menopause?

A new study finds that post-menopausal women's eating behaviors associated with short-term weight loss are not effective or sustainable for the long term. Strategies such as increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and decreasing meat and cheese intake, may improve long-term weight loss outcomes.

SourceElsevier Health Sciences·JournalJournal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics·DateAug 28, 2012

General surgeons identify postoperative complications posing strongest readmission risk

Researchers found that postoperative gastrointestinal complications, infections, and sepsis carry the highest risk of hospital readmission. Patients with multiple complications are four times more likely to be readmitted than those with none. A reduction in these complications can significantly decrease readmission rates and financial ...

SourceAmerican College of Surgeons·JournalJournal of the American College of Surgeons·DateAug 28, 2012

The FAME 2 trial

The FAME 2 trial found that FFR-guided PCI plus optimal medical therapy significantly reduced the need for urgent revascularisation and hospital readmission in patients with stable coronary artery disease. The study also showed a lower risk of primary endpoint events, including death and heart attack.

The beat goes in the brain

Researchers at the University of Illinois's Beckman Institute used periodic visual stimuli and EEG recordings to demonstrate that the brain's natural oscillations can be precisely timed to future repetitions of an event. This entrainment leads to a heightened visual awareness of the next event, improving processing in critical environm...

SourceBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology·JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience·DateAug 28, 2012

Why retire later?

A University of Michigan study proposes eliminating social security payroll taxes starting at age 55 to encourage workers to stay on the job. This would result in a 10.6% increase in take-home pay and a 1.5-year extension of working life.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of Public Economics·DateAug 28, 2012

New PLOS collection: Child mortality estimation methods

A new collection of articles introduces methodological innovations for estimating child mortality, crucial for monitoring progress toward the MDG goal. The UN IGME's evidence-based estimates are necessary for planning national and global health strategies.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateAug 28, 2012

Evaluate children's stress after natural disasters

A University of Miami study reveals that children experiencing both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are more likely to face longer-term adverse reactions after a disaster. Helping children cope with stressors after the event can improve their psychological functioning.

SourceUniversity of Miami·JournalJournal of Affective Disorders·DateAug 28, 2012

Better vaccines for tuberculosis could save millions of lives

Researchers propose a novel vaccine strategy using lipidated-promiscuous-peptide vaccines to overcome limitations of existing BCG vaccine, which fails to prevent disease in adults, especially in endemic regions. This new approach has shown promise in animal models and is being tested in human clinical trials.

SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Molecular Medicine·DateAug 28, 2012