The American College of Physicians (ACP) appreciates that the final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program (QPP) rules for 2019 are responsive to many of the concerns that ACP raised with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “Internists appreciate CMS’ decision not to finalize changes in payments for evaluation and...
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Virtual reality helps ease the pain for wound care patients
By Blain Fairbairn In a Canadian first, patients undergoing wound care procedures at Calgary’s Rockyview General Hospital are now using a virtual-reality program to help ease pain and anxiety. Image: Physiotherapists Jaclyn Frank, left, and Jane Crosley, right, help patient Graydon Cuthbertson take his mind off a painful wound care procedure thanks to virtual reality....
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Genetic risk factor for CTE detected
TMEM106B is one of the first genes to be implicated in CTE. It may partially explain why some athletes present with severe CTE symptoms while others are less affected despite similar levels of head trauma. The study provides preliminary evidence that this genetic variation might help predict which individuals are at greater risk to develop...
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New genetic cause of liver fat uncovered
New research has uncovered genetic variations that may contribute to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the leading cause of liver disease. Dr. Mayada Metwally looking down a microscope. Credit: The Westmead Institute for Medical Research NAFLD is major health concern in Western countries, with one in four people, including children, affected. The...
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Benefits of garlic extend to Alzheimer’s
While garlic breath might not be good for your social life, Curtin University researchers have found a certain garlic extract that may fight against Alzheimer’s. Credit: CC0 Public Domain You may have heard that garlic is good for treating colds. But did you know that the notoriously whiffy bulb may be able to fight the...
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Music improves social communication in autistic children
Engaging in musical activities such as singing and playing instruments in one-on-one therapy can improve autistic children’s social communication skills, improve their family’s quality of life, as well as increase brain connectivity in key networks, according to researchers at Université de Montréal and McGill University. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The link between autism spectrum disorder...
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Studies highlight lasting effects of early life stress on the genome, gut, and brain
Excessive stress during fetal development or early childhood can have long-term consequences for the brain, from increasing the likelihood of brain disorders and affecting an individual’s response to stress as an adult to changing the nutrients a mother may pass on to her babies in the womb. The new research suggests novel approaches to combat...
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Realizing the potential of gene therapy for neurological disorders
Promising findings from preclinical animal studies show the potential of gene therapy for treating incurable neurological disorders. In new research presented today, scientists successfully used gene therapy to slow the progression and improve symptoms of disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2018, the annual meeting of...
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Paralyzed People Walk Again, Even Without Neurostimulation
The word “paralysis” is starting to lose its gloomy permanence, as researchers at top-end institutions around the world have been getting some people back on their legs who were previously thought to have to spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs. Well targeted electrical nerve stimulation, coupled with specialized rehab training, has been the...
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A neurodegenerative-disease protein forms beneficial aggregates in healthy muscle
Protein aggregation is a characteristic of several neurodegenerative diseases. But disease-associated aggregates of the protein TDP-43 have now been shown to have a beneficial role in healthy muscle. Most neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the build-up of clumps of proteins in the brain1. A prevailing view in the field is that these large protein assemblies...