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Neuroscientists develop reliable method of analyzing brain activity to detect autism in children

Neuroscientists from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of Toronto have developed an efficient and reliable method of analyzing brain activity to detect autism in children.

18 Apr 2013

Study examines patient-centered decision making, health care outcomes

Patients' health outcomes improve when physicians individualize care and take their patients' life circumstances into account, according to a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

17 Apr 2013

Viewpoints: 9 'brilliant legal minds' wrestle with tough biological questions in gene case; Drug overdoses take surprising toll in Calif.; VA case raises privacy questions

When the Supreme Court took up the question Monday of whether genes could be patented, the justices were clearly concerned about preserving innovation in medicine and biotechnology. But the issue presented by Myriad Genetics' patents on the BRCA genes cuts both ways, leading to a potential split among the justices (Jon Healey, 4/15).

17 Apr 2013

Study finds genetic variation is associated with pulmonary fibrosis risk

A newly published study of patients with pulmonary fibrosis has discovered multiple genetic variations that should help with future efforts to treat the disease.

16 Apr 2013

High levels of blood cholesterol increase risk of AD and heart disease

Researchers at the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that a single mechanism may underlie the damaging effect of cholesterol on the brain and on blood vessels.

16 Apr 2013

Researchers discover new technique that directly converts skin cells into functional brain cells

Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that directly converts skin cells to the type of brain cells destroyed in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other so-called myelin disorders.

15 Apr 2013

Nearly 8% of patients in VHA visit emergency department two or more times per year: Study

Even with health insurance, ready access to preventive, specialty and behavioral health care and comprehensive electronic medical records, nearly 8 percent of patients in the Veterans Health Administration visit the emergency department two or more times per year, according to a study published online Tuesday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("What Drives Frequent Emergency Department Use in an Integrated Health System: National Data from the Veterans Health Administration").

15 Apr 2013

Chronic daily pain continues to be burden for limb-injured veterans, says pain management expert

Veterans who sustained major limb injuries during combat reported little improvement in symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental-health problems up to 2 years post injury, according to research presented today.

15 Apr 2013

Report shows interventions that can effectively treat PTSD are not being used

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects nearly 8 million adults in any given year, federal statistics show. Fortunately, clinical research has identified certain psychological interventions that effectively ameliorate the symptoms of PTSD. But most people struggling with PTSD don't receive those treatments, according to a new report published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest.

12 Apr 2013

Study shows copper objects in ICUs reduce healthcare-acquired infections by 50%

Placement of copper objects in intensive care unit (ICU) hospital rooms reduced the number of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) in patients by more than half, according to a new study published in the May issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, in a special topic issue focused on the role of the environment in infection prevention.

10 Apr 2013

New book explores how faculty at academic health centers pursue, achieve success in research

The future of basic and translational research in health care depends on the ability of large, complex health science centers to educate, discover new answers to extremely complicated problems and operate for the public good.

10 Apr 2013

Disinfection intervention highlights effective method in removing antibiotic-resistant bug

With rates and deaths associated with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) at historically high levels, many hospitals have taken extra steps to reduce these infections. New research finds that a dedicated daily cleaning crew who adequately clean and disinfect rooms contaminated by C. difficile using a standardized process can be more effective than other disinfection interventions.

10 Apr 2013

Military health care: Shallow candidate pool could hamper mental health efforts

The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to hire 1,600 mental health professionals, but some say a shallow pool of candidates could hamper efforts, while Congress continues to resist making military health care beneficiaries pay more for their care.

9 Apr 2013

Male smokers with low levels of serum bilirubin are at higher risk for lung cancer

Elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood get attention in the clinic because they often indicate that something has gone wrong with the liver. Now researchers have found that male smokers with low levels of the yellow-tinged chemical are at higher risk for lung cancer and dying from the disease.

8 Apr 2013

First Edition: April 8, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the politics surrounding the Wednesday unveiling of President Barack Obama's budget as well as other news about the health law's implementation.

8 Apr 2013

Dermatology researcher secures federal grant to explore psoriasis

A dermatology researcher at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has secured a five-year, $1.9 million federal grant to explore whether a specific molecule may play a pivotal role in the development and progression of psoriasis.

5 Apr 2013

Promising step toward safer, more comfortable implants

Researchers led by scientists at Case Western Reserve University have turned to an unlikely model to make medical devices safer and more comfortable-a squid's beak.

4 Apr 2013

UAB School of Nursing raising bar on service for veterans

Partnering with Birmingham's VA Medical Center and with colleagues across a wide range of health care professions, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing is raising the bar on service for veterans and their families.

3 Apr 2013

Emergency room providers need to ask suicidal patients about access to firearms: Study

Although guns are used in over half of all American suicides, a new study shows that many emergency room doctors and nurses do not routinely ask suicidal patients about their access to firearms.

2 Apr 2013

Research findings could improve treatments for pneumonia, other inflammatory conditions

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered a new biological pathway of innate immunity that ramps up inflammation and then identified agents that can block it, leading to increased survival and improved lung function in animal models of pneumonia.

1 Apr 2013

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Neuroscientists develop reliable method of analyzing brain activity to detect autism in children

Study examines patient-centered decision making, health care outcomes

Viewpoints: 9 'brilliant legal minds' wrestle with tough biological questions in gene case; Drug overdoses take surprising toll in Calif.; VA case raises privacy questions

Study finds genetic variation is associated with pulmonary fibrosis risk

High levels of blood cholesterol increase risk of AD and heart disease

Researchers discover new technique that directly converts skin cells into functional brain cells

Nearly 8% of patients in VHA visit emergency department two or more times per year: Study

Chronic daily pain continues to be burden for limb-injured veterans, says pain management expert

Report shows interventions that can effectively treat PTSD are not being used

Study shows copper objects in ICUs reduce healthcare-acquired infections by 50%

New book explores how faculty at academic health centers pursue, achieve success in research

Disinfection intervention highlights effective method in removing antibiotic-resistant bug

Military health care: Shallow candidate pool could hamper mental health efforts

Male smokers with low levels of serum bilirubin are at higher risk for lung cancer

First Edition: April 8, 2013

Dermatology researcher secures federal grant to explore psoriasis

Promising step toward safer, more comfortable implants

UAB School of Nursing raising bar on service for veterans

Emergency room providers need to ask suicidal patients about access to firearms: Study

Research findings could improve treatments for pneumonia, other inflammatory conditions

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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