Studies and Analyses

May not be considered non-toxic

Bismuth bullets, which became the primary form of bullets sold in Canada after lead shot was incrementally banned for environmental reasons between 1991 and 1999, may not be as non-toxic as originally thought, according to a new study. “It’s not clear whether bismuth is a non-toxic shot alternative,” says study co-author William Gough, a professor in the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences at the University of Toronto at Scarbo

Offer more human capital, skills

Cities in China not dominated by state-run industries are benefiting more from foreign investment than cities with a large number of state-controlled industries, find university researchers. “Cities that don’t have a large proportion of state-controlled industries appear to offer a better range of human capital and skills that would be attractive to foreign direct investment,” says University of Toronto economics professor Gordon Anderson, a

A new measurement tool called the computerized clinical vignette can help clinicians and policymakers assess and improve the quality of physician practice while potentially reducing costs, according to a study led by a researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).

The vignette — which presents a simulated patient visit to the doctor via computer — is an accurate, inexpensive, and efficient way to measure how well physicians handle their clinical practice, the st

Sick days, disability, early retirement, and premature death of diabetic Americans born between 1931 and 1941 cost the country almost $133.5 billion by the year 2000, according to a new estimate by researchers with the University of Michigan (U-M) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This analysis is the first to identify the staggering financial impact of diabetes on the economy using a single, consistent source of data — the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a national longitudinal s

The largest population study ever done into the risk of cancer in families that fulfil the criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation testing has confirmed that breast and ovarian cancers are the major concerns for geneticists and doctors counselling families. It has also verified that families eligible for BRCA1/2 mutation testing are at increased risk of pancreatic, prostate and stomach cancers.

One important conclusion of the study was that, in families with at least one woman with b

Driving with one hand on the wheel and another on a cell phone has led to legal restrictions and proposals to require drivers to use hands-free phones.

Hello?

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have tested the hands-free approach and found that drivers — young and old — struggled to see dangerous scenarios appearing in front of them.

The experiments, reported in the Fall 2004 issue of the journal Human Factors, were conducted