Health News

Medicare payment patterns examined for hip fracture surgery

Reimbursement for hospital charges is increasing faster than payments for surgeons performing hip fracture surgeries on Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published online March 9 in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. Dennis Q. Chen, M.D., from the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, and colleagues evaluated trends and variations in hospital charges and […]

Health Problems

Brain activity patterns linked with improved learning and memory in multiple sclerosis

A recent article by Kessler Foundation researchers demonstrated g people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The article, “Brain activation patterns associated with paragraph learning in persons with multiple sclerosis: The MEMREHAB trial,” (doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.09.008 ) was epublished on October 20, 2019 by the International Journal of Psychophysiology. The authors are Olga Boukrina, Ph.D., Ekaterina Dobryakova, Ph.D., […]

Health Problems

Deep learning identifies molecular patterns of cancer

A new deep-learning algorithm can quickly and accurately analyze several types of genomic data from colorectal tumors for more accurate classification, which could help improve diagnosis and related treatment options, according to new research published in the journal Life Science Alliance. Colorectal tumors are extremely varied in how they develop, require different drugs and have […]

Health Problems

Study finds trend towards unusual and abnormal prescribing patterns in aged-care homes

Researchers from the Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health have found that one-quarter of Australian aged-care home residents are nine times more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic drug risperidone. The Rehabilitation, Aged and Extended Care research group found that dementia patients in nursing homes across South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia […]

Health Problems

Altered brain activity patterns of Parkinson’s captured in mice

The tell-tale tremors of Parkinson’s disease emerge from abnormal activity in a brain region crucial for voluntary movement. Using a mouse model of the disease, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) identified unusual patterns of brain activity that appear to underlie its signature symptoms. Parkinson’s disrupts the basal ganglia, […]

Health Problems

Online searches about cardiovascular disease follow strong seasonal and geographical patterns

There is a strong seasonal pattern in seeking cardiovascular health information on Google, with higher search activity during winter months, according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Investigators also found that US states with higher deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) have higher CVD-related search volumes compared with regions with lower CVD mortality. […]