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Limited use of general anesthesia does not cause developmental problems for children

An international team of researchers that includes a pediatric anesthesiologist from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado is reporting that limited use of general anesthesia with an infant does not cause developmental problems for the child.

27 Oct 2015

Restoring memory in aging mice

A new study, led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VA) and University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine shows that increasing a crucial cholesterol-binding membrane protein in nerve cells (neurons) within the brain can improve learning and memory in aged mice.

22 Oct 2015

Patient-physician communication can help determine true life expectancy of older adults

Health care providers must have detailed discussions with their older adult patients to better determine their true life expectancy, as older adults do not accurately predict their own prognosis, a key factor in making decisions about future health interventions, according to researchers at UC San Francisco and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

20 Oct 2015

Developing tailored interventions for cognitive and behavioral symptoms key to improving outcomes after TBI

Kessler researchers assessed moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) for frontal behavioral syndromes and cognitive function. Their finding suggest that adding the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale to neuropsychological assessment may yield useful information about the behavioral sequelae of TBI.

15 Oct 2015

Team-based delivery models can improve quality of care in patients with cardiovascular disease

Patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation receive comparable outpatient care from physicians and advanced practice providers-- physician assistants and nurse practitioners - although all clinicians fell short in meeting performance measures, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

13 Oct 2015

Novel mathematical method may help reduce development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

It is estimated that each year in the United States 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to one or more types of antibiotics, and at least 23,000 people will die because of these infections. This problem is being exacerbated by overuse of antibiotics for livestock and also in community clinical practice. This overuse, combined with the slow pace of novel drug discovery is a growing threat to public health.

12 Oct 2015

People with restless legs syndrome at higher risk for stroke, heart and kidney disease

Imagine trying to lie down and rest but feeling an uncontrollable urge to keep moving your legs. That, in a nutshell, is the ongoing ordeal facing people with restless legs syndrome. Considered a neurological, sleep, or movement disorder, RLS affects up to 1 in 10 people in the U.S. For those coping with a more severe form of RLS, countless sleepless nights--during which they may toss and turn constantly, or get up and pace the floor--can shatter quality of life.

9 Oct 2015

Research: Many Americans use prescription pain relievers, most people see abuse as serious health issue

More than one in four Americans has taken prescription painkillers in the past year, even as a majority say that abuse of these medications is a very serious public health concern, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

8 Oct 2015

Cleaning patient rooms with combination of chemicals and UV light cuts transmission of superbugs

Healthcare facilities continue to battle drug-resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that loiter on surfaces even after patient rooms have been cleaned and can cause new, sometimes-deadly infections.

8 Oct 2015

New guidance statement on palliative care to be presented at 2015 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium

A new guidance statement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine is being presented for the first time at the 2015 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium in Boston.

7 Oct 2015

Positive emotions may make your heart healthier

People with heart disease may benefit from maintaining positive emotions, according to health researchers. Over the course of five years the researchers tracked more than 1,000 patients with coronary heart disease. Patients who reported higher positive psychological states were more likely to be physically active, sleep better and take their heart medications and were also less likely to smoke, compared to patients with lower levels of positive states.

6 Oct 2015

Risks of water intoxication increase as outdoor endurance recreation grows in popularity

While emphasis is often placed on keeping athletes and outdoor enthusiasts properly hydrated, too much water can be just as dangerous. Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH), also known as water intoxication, results in an extreme, and potentially fatal, sodium imbalance.

30 Sep 2015

Routine water testing at SEVC identifies Legionella bacteria in water treatment system

Routine water testing at the Southeastern Veterans' Center in Spring City has identified the presence of Legionella bacteria in the water treatment system. No cases have been reported of any residents having a physical aliment or diagnosis of Legionaries Disease. There is only a presence of the bacteria at this time.

26 Sep 2015

Novel study provides new information on acute effects of TBI on cognition

Researchers published results of a novel study of the functional activation patterns of working memory after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study, the first to enroll subjects during their initial evaluation in the emergency room, provides new information on the acute effects of TBI on cognition.

22 Sep 2015

Experts present first comprehensive guide to using IV devices

More than a billion times a year, doctors and nurses insert tiny tubes into the veins of American hospital patients, so they can deliver lifesaving medicines, give fluids and nutrition, monitor key vital signs, and help patients with conditions ranging from cancer and pain to kidney failure and serious infections.

15 Sep 2015

Novel long non-coding RNA has potential to stymie growth of tumor cells in colon cancer

Genetics researchers from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have identified a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), dubbed DACOR1, that has the potential to stymie the growth of tumor cells in the second-most deadly form of cancer in the U.S. — colorectal cancer.

14 Sep 2015

Modified Story Memory Technique improves memory in adults with moderate to severe TBI

Kessler Foundation researchers published results of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a cognitive intervention to improve learning and memory in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) - the TBI-MEM trial.

11 Sep 2015

New AGA guideline recommends colorectal cancer patients to undergo tumor test for Lynch syndrome

All colorectal cancer patients should undergo tumor testing to see if they carry Lynch syndrome, the most common inherited cause of colorectal cancer, according to a new guideline published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

11 Sep 2015

Study shows reduced heart rate variability may be contributing risk factor for PTSD

A prospective longitudinal study of U.S. Marines suggests that reduced heart rate variability - the changing time interval between heartbeats - may be a contributing risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

11 Sep 2015

Race, ethnicity may influence physician-patient decision-making process

Racial and ethnic inequalities in medical care are widely documented in literature. However, variations in Americans' experiences with healthcare, specifically regarding physician-patient communication and shared decision-making about treatment plans, are not well understood.

10 Sep 2015

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Limited use of general anesthesia does not cause developmental problems for children

Restoring memory in aging mice

Patient-physician communication can help determine true life expectancy of older adults

Developing tailored interventions for cognitive and behavioral symptoms key to improving outcomes after TBI

Team-based delivery models can improve quality of care in patients with cardiovascular disease

Novel mathematical method may help reduce development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

People with restless legs syndrome at higher risk for stroke, heart and kidney disease

Research: Many Americans use prescription pain relievers, most people see abuse as serious health issue

Cleaning patient rooms with combination of chemicals and UV light cuts transmission of superbugs

New guidance statement on palliative care to be presented at 2015 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium

Positive emotions may make your heart healthier

Risks of water intoxication increase as outdoor endurance recreation grows in popularity

Routine water testing at SEVC identifies Legionella bacteria in water treatment system

Novel study provides new information on acute effects of TBI on cognition

Experts present first comprehensive guide to using IV devices

Novel long non-coding RNA has potential to stymie growth of tumor cells in colon cancer

Modified Story Memory Technique improves memory in adults with moderate to severe TBI

New AGA guideline recommends colorectal cancer patients to undergo tumor test for Lynch syndrome

Study shows reduced heart rate variability may be contributing risk factor for PTSD

Race, ethnicity may influence physician-patient decision-making process

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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