Asian Oncology Summit 2012 Apr 13-15 Singapore

http://www.asianoncologysummit.com/

Medscape: Oncologists Lower on Happiness Scale Than Most Specialists

Oncologists Lower on Happiness Scale Than Most Specialists
 
March 22, 2011 — Treating cancer patients for a living might not make for the happiest of specialists, according to the Medscape Physician Lifestyle Report: 2012.
When asked how happy are with their lives outside of work, the average happiness score for oncologists was 3.89 out of 5.00 — slightly less than the relatively cheerful happiness score of 3.96 for all physicians who responded to the survey. "With a score of 3.89, oncologists were tied with plastic and general surgeons for twentieth place in the list of 25 specialties surveyed," write survey author Carol Peckham, director of editorial development, and colleagues from Medscape.............

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"Terminal Illness?
Perhaps like everyone else, oncologists aren't sure what they would do if told they had a terminal illness.
Some 52% said they would chose quality over length of life, but responses were decidedly age-dependant; 37% of those 31 to 40 years of age said they would treat their disease aggressively, compared with only about 10% of those 60 years of age.
Spirituality and religious views also played a role. More than 52% of oncologists without a belief system and 56% of those with beliefs but no active practice report that they would choose quality of life over extending life. Slightly fewer (49%) of those with active religious practice report that they would prefer palliative care over lengthening their life."

Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases - The Cochrane Library ((beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium)

Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases - The Cochrane Library

 Abstract

"The increased risk of mortality was associated with beta-carotene and possibly vitamin E and vitamin A, but was not associated with the use of vitamin C or selenium. The current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general population or in patients with various diseases."

Background

Our systematic review has demonstrated that antioxidant supplements may increase mortality. We have now updated this review.

Objectives

To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in adults.

Op-Ed: How Traditional Publishing Hurts Scientific Progress

Op-Ed: How Traditional Publishing Hurts Scientific Progress


A battle that has raged for over a decade between advocates of open science and publishers of traditional scientific journals is coming to a head.

From the Fields is a periodic Wired Science op-ed series presenting leading scientists’ reflections on their work, society and culture.

Michael Eisen is a molecular biologist at UC Berkeley and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. ........He blogs at www.michaeleisen.org.

Eighty five percent of published papers remain locked behind subscription pay walls, accessible only to those affiliated with universities and other large research institutions. But new journals that make everything they publish freely available are growing rapidly. And government efforts to make the results of all publicly funded scientific and medical research accessible to everyone are expanding, despite industry-backed legislative efforts to end them.