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Improvement of Memory with Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
The authors showed that gamma frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation targeting the precuneus in patients with Alzheimer’s disease improved measures of immediate and delayed verbal memory as well as associative memory for faces. Additionally, neurophysiological measurements of cholinergic transmission improved. Apolipoprotein E genotype and baseline cognitive performance were correlated with treatment response. Memory improvement was correlated both with increases in gamma frequency power in posterior cortical regions and spatial overlap between the modeled electric field distribution and the precuneus target site.
A Guide to Change: Modifying Unhealthy Behaviors in Patients
Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based, empathic approach to the patient interview incorporating techniques that encourage patients to self-reflect and voice reasons for change, while recognizing underlying ambivalence. This article presents approaches recommended for use in a primary care office when the clinical interview indicates a need for behavioral change.
CDC: Most Pregnancy-Related Deaths Are Preventable
Recent data indicate mental health conditions, excessive bleeding are the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.
Kindergarten Vaccine Rates: Post-COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruption in healthcare delivery for everyone. Schools continue to struggle to meet the Healthy People 2030 Nationwide target of ≥ 95% coverage for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination in kindergarteners, and COVID-19 did not help. Remarkably, the nationwide vaccine rate for children entering kindergarten in the 2020-2021 school year was decreased by only 1% for all vaccines compared with the previous year.
Rehospitalization Common in Herpes Encephalitis
Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is the most common cause of infectious encephalitis in the United States, accounting for around 30% of all causes of infectious encephalitis in the United States. With the advent of antiviral therapy and improved diagnostic measures, mortality and morbidity have improved over the past few decades, but patients remain at risk for long-term neurologic sequelae and even relapse.
U.S. Endemic Fungal Infection Surveillance
In the United States in 2019, 29,061 cases of coccidioidomycosis were reported, as were 1,124 cases of histoplasmosis and 240 of blastomycosis.
CDC Warning: Enterovirus-D68 Re-Emerging and Once Again Raising the Specter of Acute Flaccid Myelitis in Children
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is receiving increasing reports of pediatric infections with enterovirus-D68, which previously has been associated with the development of acute flaccid myelitis.
Safety of Infliximab After Live Vaccines
Despite concerns about the use of infliximab for children with Kawasaki disease shortly after administration of live vaccines, retrospective reviews do not show any vaccine-related infections following subsequent infliximab use.
Doxycycline Plus a Beta-Lactam for Treatment of Inpatients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia
In this retrospective study of an elderly male population hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, the combination of doxycycline with a beta-lactam was at least as effective as a respiratory fluoroquinolone or a combination of a beta-lactam with azithromycin.
Cellular Tests Are Not Accurate for Diagnosing Lyme Disease
A prospective case-control study from the Netherlands evaluated three cellular tests for diagnosing Lyme disease. All three had low specificity compared to serological testing, leading to an unacceptably high number of false-positive results.