JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
-
Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a widely used nursing practice rooted in mysticism but alleged to have a scientific basis. Practitioners of TT claim to treat many medical conditions by using their hands to manipulate a "human energy field" perceptible above the patient's skin. ⋯ Twenty-one experienced TT practitioners were unable to detect the investigator's "energy field." Their failure to substantiate TT's most fundamental claim is unrefuted evidence that the claims of TT are groundless and that further professional use is unjustified.
-
Throughout the last decade a number of studies have been conducted to examine academic-industry research relationships. However, to our knowledge, no studies to date have empirically examined academic scientists' experience with research-related gifts from companies. ⋯ Research-related gifts are a common and important form of research support for academic life scientists. However, recipients frequently think that donors place restrictions and expect returns that may be problematic for recipients as well as institutions.
-
Reduced ratio of male to female births in several industrial countries: a sentinel health indicator?
The sex ratio of 1.06:1, the ratio of male to female births, has declined over the past decades. Recent reports from a number of industrialized countries indicate that the proportion of males born has significantly decreased, while some male reproductive tract disorders have increased. ⋯ Patterns of reduced sex ratio need to be carefully assessed to determine whether they are occurring more generally, whether temporal or spatial variations are evident, and whether they constitute a sentinel health event.
-
Physical inactivity contributes to weight gain in adults, but whether this relationship is true for children of different ethnic groups is not well established. ⋯ Many US children watch a great deal of television and are inadequately vigorously active. Vigorous activity levels are lowest among girls, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans. Intervention strategies to promote lifelong physical activity among US children are needed to stem the adverse health consequences of inactivity.
-
Previous studies of BRCA1 mutation prevalence have been based on high-risk groups, yielding estimates that do not reflect the experience of the general population of US patients with breast cancer. ⋯ These data suggest that in the general US population, widespread screening of BRCA1 is not warranted. In contrast, BRCA1 mutations are sufficiently frequent in families with both breast and ovarian cancer, or at least 4 cases of breast cancer (at any age), that genotyping might be considered. The emerging picture of BRCA1 population genetics involves complex interactions of family history, age, and genetic ancestry, all of which should be taken into account when considering testing or interpreting results.