January 2014 Briefing - Neurology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for January 2014. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Deal Could Trade Tort Reform for Additional Health Reform

FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians may be willing to make a trade in accepting some additional health reform efforts in exchange for tort reform, according to an article published in the January issue of Health Affairs.

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Improving Infection Control Could Mean No More White Coats

THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should consider their clinical attire, such as white lab coats, carefully with regards to risk of transmitting infection, according to guidelines published in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

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Docs Prefer Tablets Over Smartphones for Reading Articles

THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Although physicians generally use smartphones rather than tablets for professional purposes, they are more likely to read articles from medical publications and access medically oriented webcasts/podcasts on tablets, according to the results of a survey conducted by Kantar Media.

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Report Reveals Payment Methods for Physicians

THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians in non-solo practice settings are paid using different methods, with just over half receiving all or most of their compensation from salary, according to a report from the American Medical Association.

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Practices Must Engage Vendors for ICD-10 Updates Now

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Practice owners need to communicate with system vendors to coordinate International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) updates, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.

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Businesses Urge Change to ACA's Insurance Mandate

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Beginning in 2015, U.S. businesses with 50 or more workers must provide health insurance to "full-time" employees, meaning workers who log at least 30 hours a week, on average.

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High Estradiol Levels Linked to Dementia in Women

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal women with high estradiol levels have a two-fold higher risk of developing dementia, but the risk is 14-fold higher if they also have diabetes, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Neurology.

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Insurance Eligibility Headaches Expected With ACA

TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- With the influx of newly insured patients under the Affordable Care Act, physician practices should be prepared to spend even more time verifying coverage, according to an article published Jan. 2 in Medical Economics.

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Hearing Loss Linked to Accelerated Brain Atrophy

TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Older individuals with hearing problems have accelerated brain atrophy, particularly in the right temporal lobe, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in NeuroImage.

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Framework Established to Promote Safety of Care

TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A framework has been established to advance clinical learning environments that promote change in the quality and safety of care, according to a perspective piece published online Jan. 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Pesticide Exposure Linked to Alzheimer's Disease Risk

TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People exposed to elevated levels of the metabolite of the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are at higher risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly if they carry a particular apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in JAMA Neurology.

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Top Ten Physician Challenges of 2014 Discussed

MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top ten challenges for physicians in 2014 relate to payment for medical services and government mandates, as well as adapting to a changing patient population and the need to improve work-life balance, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.

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Writing a Blog Can Up a Doc's Visibility

FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Blogs can be a valuable tool to promote physician practices, according to an article published Dec. 17 in Medical Economics.

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Stimulant, Antipsychotic Combo Improves Aggressive Behavior

FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggressive disorders, the addition of risperidone to a combination of parent training and psychostimulant is associated with moderate improvement in aggressive and disruptive behaviors, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

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DSM-5 Criteria Likely to Lower ASD Prevalence Estimates

FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria is likely to lower prevalence estimates for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), according to a study published online Jan. 22 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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Vitamin D Levels May Help Predict Prognosis in Multiple Sclerosis

FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), a marker of vitamin D status, early in the course of illness may predict higher risk of increased disease activity and progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to research published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Neurology.

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Medical Staff Performance Goals Should Be Clear, Attainable

THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Staff performance in medical practices needs to be appropriately managed and measured with performance goals, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.

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Outbreak of Exposure to Novel Synthetic Cannabinoid Described

THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An outbreak of exposure to a novel synthetic cannabinoid was rapidly controlled in Colorado, according to a letter to the editor published in the Jan. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Concussion Common Among Young Female Soccer Players

THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of cumulative concussion is 13.0 percent per season for female soccer players aged 11 to 14 years, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Pediatrics.

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Phase 3 Studies Fail to Show Benefit of Drugs in Alzheimer's

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, neither bapineuzumab nor solanezumab improves cognitive outcomes, according to two studies published in the Jan. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Higher Omega-3 Levels Linked to Larger Brain Volume

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In postmenopausal women, a higher omega-3 index is associated with increased brain and hippocampal volume eight years later, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Neurology.

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Legitimacy of Publishing Pharma-Funded Research Queried

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The question of whether to stop publishing research funded by the drug industry is addressed in a head-to-head piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.

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Some Medical Schools Offering Accelerated Training

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Some medical schools are offering an accelerated three-year program, according to a report from Kaiser Health News.

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More Federal Funding of Health Centers Mitigates Access Issues

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Since 2000, increased federal funding for community health centers has helped low-income adults get access to primary care and dental care, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Health Services Research.

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ACA Impact on Primary Practice May Depend on Location

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The impact of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on physicians' primary care practices will vary geographically, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.

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Researchers Examine FDA Decision Making Processes

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The rationale behind the decision making processes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is discussed in three articles published in the Jan. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Multiple Medications Increase Odds of Hospital Admission

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The likelihood of unplanned admission is increased with polypharmacy, but the association is modified by the number of long-term conditions, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

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Medication Synchronization Program Ups Adherence

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A community pharmacy-based medication synchronization program can improve medication adherence, according to a study conducted by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

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Survey IDs Factors Influencing Physician Job Satisfaction

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Believing that they are delivering high-quality patient care is key to physician job satisfaction, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.

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Doctor Urges Colleagues to Disclose Conflicts of Interest

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A campaign to encourage physicians to disclose potential conflicts of interest has sparked ire from doctors despite evidence that openness improves the doctor-patient relationship, according to a personal view piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.

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Caffeine Found to Enhance Memory Consolidation

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Caffeine enhances memory consolidation when given shortly after a learning task, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in Nature Neuroscience.

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Sleep Disordered Breathing Common With Spinal Cord Injury

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have sleep disordered breathing (SDB), according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

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Statin Use Linked to Reduced Delirium in ICU Patients

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), statin use is associated with a reduced risk of delirium, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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FDA: New Test Helps Diagnose Intellectual Disability in Children

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new test to diagnose developmental delays and intellectual disability in children based on genetic abnormalities has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Long-Term Benefits Seen for Cognitive Training in Elderly

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Advanced cognitive training is beneficial for elderly persons, with long-term improvements seen for reasoning and speed-of-processing training, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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Traumatic Brain Injury Linked to Premature Death, Suicide

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a higher risk of premature death, especially from suicide, injuries, and assaults, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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State Insurance Marketplaces Boost Outreach Efforts

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health insurance exchanges in five states with strong enrollment growth are ramping up efforts to reach even more uninsured Americans before the end of the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment period on March 31. The March 31 deadline is for people who want health coverage for 2014.

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Reliable Emotion Words ID'd to Assess Patient Experience

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A reliable set of emotion words have been identified that can serve as a tool for experience-based design questionnaires in health care, according to a study published in the December issue of Healthcare.

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Heavy Drinking Speeds Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Men

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For middle-aged men, heavy alcohol consumption (≥36 g/day) is associated with faster cognitive decline in all cognitive domains, compared with light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in Neurology.

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Survey Results Identify Drivers of Doctor Engagement

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a survey from the Physician Wellness Services and Cejka Search have identified the key aspects of doctor engagement.

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NCPA: Access to Controlled Substances Often Delayed

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most pharmacists report experiencing multiple delays or issues with their controlled substance orders, according to the results of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Controlled Substances Access Survey.

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FDA Warns Against Rx With High Levels of Acetaminophen

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending that physicians stop prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products containing more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per tablet, according to a safety alert issued by the agency.

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CAM Common in Children With Developmental Disabilities

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common among families of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.

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Wednesday Is Deadline for Feb. 1 Coverage Under ACA

TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There's still time to enroll in a health insurance plan through one of the Affordable Care Act's new online marketplaces. Those who sign up by Wednesday will have coverage starting next month.

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More Than Two Million People Have Signed Up for ACA Coverage

TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 2.2 million Americans had selected health plans through the federal and state marketplaces as of late December, and nearly one in four was a young adult, the Obama administration disclosed Monday.

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CMS: New Rule Proposed for Contract Year 2015

MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A proposed rule has been issued that will strengthen protections, improve health care quality, and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries with private Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription plans, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

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Parkinson's Gene Therapy Improves Motor Function

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A triple gene therapy for Parkinson's disease is safe and improves motor function, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in The Lancet.

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Survey: Fees, Reimbursement Top Physician Worries

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a new survey show that physicians are concerned about declining reimbursements and increasing administrative hassles, including negotiating with payers, obtaining prior authorizations, and cutting through government red tape, according to an article published Nov. 25 in Medical Economics.

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EHR Use Linked to Doc-Reported Enhanced Patient Care

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of electronic health records is associated with enhanced patient care overall, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in Health Services Research.

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Female Conveners Up Number of Women at Scientific Symposia

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Having at least one woman on teams that convene scientific symposia increases the proportion of invited female speakers by 72 percent, compared with teams containing all men, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in mBio.

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CMS: Low Growth for National Health Expenditures in 2012

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Overall national health expenditures were marked by a fourth consecutive year of low growth, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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ACP Introduces Free 'High Value Care' Case Studies

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to improve health care and eliminate wasteful practices, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed a series of High Value Care cases studies, available online for free.

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Impact of In Utero Epilepsy Med Exposure Studied in Children

THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Compared to children exposed in utero to sodium valproate, children exposed in utero to levetiracetam for treatment of maternal epilepsy have superior language and motor development at age 36 to 54 months, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Neurology.

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Occupational Therapy Aids Kids With Autism, Sensory Issues

THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Occupational therapy focused on sensory integration strategies helps children with autism spectrum disorder and sensory issues improve their ability to perform everyday tasks, according to a study published online Nov. 10 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Drug Labeling Linked to Drug, Placebo Efficacy in Migraine

THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with episodic migraine, the information provided about drug/placebo impacts drug effects, according to a study published in the Jan. 8 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

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Administrative Demands Hurt Patient-Doctor Relationship

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Administrative demands on doctors, particularly primary care physicians, threaten the patient-doctor relationship, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.

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Smoking Rates Still Low for Most Health Care Professionals

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with 2006 to 2007, smoking rates among health care professionals for 2010 to 2011 continue to be lowest in physicians and highest in licensed practical nurses (LPNs), according to a research letter published in the Jan. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on tobacco control.

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Review Suggests Psychological Benefits of Meditation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Moderate evidence suggests that meditation is associated with improvements in anxiety, depression, and pain, according to a review and meta-analysis published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Inverse Link for Alcohol Consumption, Multiple Sclerosis Risk

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Alcohol consumption is inversely associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in men and women, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Neurology.

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Importance of Religion Linked to Cortical Thickness

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The self-reported importance of religion or spirituality is associated with the thickness of certain brain regions, according to research published online Dec. 25 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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More Specialists Needed to Meet Needs of Aging Population

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More specialist providers, including vascular surgeons and cardiologists, are needed to meet the care needs of a growing elderly population, according to research published in the November issue of Health Affairs.

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AMA Urges Med Students to Be Agents of Health Care Change

TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students are being encouraged to be agents of change in the health care system, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).

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Cognitive Rest May Speed Concussion Recovery in Youth

TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of cognitive activity are associated with longer duration of symptoms in youth with sports-related concussion, according to research published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics.

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Herpes Zoster Is Risk Factor for Stroke in Young Adults

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Herpes zoster (HZ) is an independent risk factor for vascular disease, including stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and myocardial infarction (MI), particularly in those affected before the age of 40 years, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Neurology.

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Non-White Physicians Provide Disproportionate Minority Care

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Non-white physicians provide a disproportionate share of care to underserved populations, according to a research letter published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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AMA Details Top Five Federal Issues for 2014

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the repeal of Medicare's failed sustained growth formula, and the proposed roll-out of the International Classification of Diseases, Version 10, top the list of federal issues expected to impact physicians and patients in 2014, according to a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 30 by the American Medical Association (AMA).

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Over 100 New Accountable Care Organizations Formed

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- One hundred twenty-three new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have been formed by doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, which will provide access to high-quality coordinated care for about 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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New-Onset Sciatica Tied to Age, Obesity, Mental Workload

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Management of obesity may prevent new-onset sciatica, according to a Japanese study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.

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NSAID Diflunisal Slows Neurodegenerative Progression

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent diflunisal slows the rate of neurodegenerative progression associated with familial amyloid polyneruopathy, according to a study published in the Dec. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Warfarin Initiation Negatively Linked to Stroke in A-Fib Patients

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of having a stroke in the first month after initiating treatment with the anti-clotting drug warfarin, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in European Heart Journal.

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Doctors Discuss Use of MenB Vaccine at Princeton University

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The planned use of an experimental Neisseria meningitides serogroup B (MenB) meningitis vaccine at the University of Princeton has raised several contentious issues relating to vaccination, according to an ideas and opinions piece published online Dec. 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Hypothyroidism Not Tied to Cognitive Impairment in Aged

FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There is no association between either clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the elderly, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Neurology.

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Impact of Transitions in Doctors' Careers Discussed

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Transitions and their associated challenges are encountered throughout a doctors' medical career, according to an editorial published online Nov. 26 in BMJ.

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Worsening of Shortage of Residency Slots Feared

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite a looming physician shortage, the number of residency positions in the United States has not changed since 1996, creating a bottleneck that will become worse with further budget cuts, according to a blog post published Dec. 7 on KevinMD.com.

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CDC: Updated Guidance for HBV Vaccination for Health Workers

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) if they anticipate exposure to blood or body fluids, and receive serologic testing to assess for antibody against the virus, according to updated guidelines published in the Dec. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Alpha Tocopherol Seems Beneficial in Alzheimer's

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, alpha tocopherol is associated with slower functional decline versus placebo, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Emotions Tied to Topographically Distinct Bodily Sensations

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Emotions are associated with culturally universal, topographically distinct bodily sensations, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Docs Have Until Jan. 31 to Change Medicare Status

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The deadline for making changes to Medicare participation status has been extended to Jan. 31, 2014, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).

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