Research

New Study Sheds Light on Medication Administration Errors Leading to Death

Medication administration errors leading to death are common with anticoagulants and antibiotics in particular, according to a new study that analysed incidents reported in England and Wales. The most common error category was omitted medicine, followed by a wrong dose or a wrong strength. In half of the reported incidents, the patient was aged over 75.

AI System may Accelerate Search for Cancer Discoveries

Searching through the mountains of published cancer research could be made easier for scientists, thanks to a new AI system. The system, called LION LBD and developed by computer scientists and cancer researchers at the University of Cambridge, has been designed to assist scientists in the search for cancer-related discoveries. It is the first literature-based discovery system aimed at supporting cancer research.

Brain-Computer Interface Enables People with Paralysis to Control Tablet Devices

Tablets and other mobile computing devices are part of everyday life, but using them can be difficult for people with paralysis. New research from the BrainGate consortium shows that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can enable people with paralysis to directly operate an off-the-shelf tablet device just by thinking about making cursor movements and clicks.

New China and US Studies Back Use of Pulse Oximeters for Assessing Blood Pressure

Fast and easy blood pressure monitoring could soon be at your fingertips - literally - thanks to new University of British Columbia research that showed blood pressure (BP) can be assessed by a fingertip oximeter, a tool not generally used for that purpose. Hypertension or high blood pressure is linked to 1,100 deaths each day in the U.S. alone, so it's critical to regularly monitor people at risk. The challenge is that current BP monitoring methods have their limitations.

New Epilepsy Warning Device could Save Thousands of Lives

A new high-tech bracelet, developed by scientists from the Netherlands detects 85 percent of all severe night-time epilepsy seizures. That is a much better score than any other technology currently available. The researchers involved think that this bracelet, called Nightwatch, can reduce the worldwide number of unexpected night-time fatalities in epilepsy patients. They published the results of a prospective trial in the scientific journal Neurology.

Online Program Helps Prevent Teen Depression

Although up to 20 percent of adolescents experience a depressive episode each year, the medical community has struggled to implement programs that effectively prevent depression. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have worked to fill this gap in pediatric primary care by conducting clinical trials to evaluate and compare interventions.

Breakthrough Neurotechnology for Treating Paralysis

Three paraplegics who sustained cervical spinal cord injuries many years ago are now able to walk with the aid of crutches or a walker thanks to new rehabilitation protocols that combine targeted electrical stimulation of the lumbar spinal cord and weight-assisted therapy. This latest study, called STIMO (STImulation Movement Overground), establishes a new therapeutic framework to improve recovery from spinal cord injury.

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