Vagus nerve stimulation shows promise as a way to counter Alzheimer’s disease‑ and age‑related memory loss
The vagus nerve, which carries information between the brain and heart, lungs and other organs, might regulate the activity of a tiny brain region called the locus coeruleus. Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library via Getty Images ~~~~~ Elizabeth Riley, Cornell University Most people think of Alzheimer’s disease as an illness of aging. But in fact, the brain changes that characterize it begin much earlier – sometime around the third decade of life. In the earliest of these changes, a tangled version of a protein called tau starts building up in a tiny region deep in the brain involved in sleep, attention and alertness, called the locus coeruleus. Tau later spreads to the rest of the...
Why disease outbreaks on Chinese fur farms are a serious risk to public health
Farming animals for fur is not only cruel but also provides an ideal environment for viruses to mix and cross over into humans Reporting for this story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. A sharp, musky scent rushes over me as I step out of the taxi outside Mr. Wang’s house near Tong’erpu, in China’s northeastern Liaoning province. It’s one of the country’s largest fur-trading centers. Wang greets me, sporting a blue jersey and matching cap. “I’m about to feed the foxes,” he says. In his courtyard, 600 Arctic foxes, housed in rows of elevated wire-meshed cages, eye me nervously. Wearing no mask, gloves or protective clothing, Wang moves down the rows, scooping a paste of fish, corn and...
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Primary care is in trouble. So doctors band together to boost their market power
Western Massachusetts, a patchwork of rural communities and low-income cities, is a difficult place to find a primary care doctor if you don’t already have one. Frustrated patients often turn to online forums, asking for leads or advice on how to find a practice that is accepting new patients. One name repeatedly crops up in these discussions: Valley Medical Group. With four locations in the Connecticut River Valley, the practice has been a mainstay of family medicine since the 1990s. Valley Medical’s flagship office in Florence can be found right on Main Street, next door to a pizza restaurant and near a Friendly’s. Valley has 90 medical providers — including doctors, nurse practitioners,...
VITAS Healthcare opens office in Cape Coral to meet growing demand for hospice care
Cape Coral continues to rank among the fastest-growing cities in the United States, and its expanding population of older adults highlights a growing need across Southwest Florida for accessible, compassionate end-of-life care. To help meet this need, VITAS Healthcare has opened a new administrative office in Cape Coral. The additional location means patients and families throughout Lee County can more easily access high-quality hospice care and meaningful support wherever they call home. Hospice care is primarily provided in private residences, assisted living communities and nursing homes. The new Cape Coral location provides VITAS interdisciplinary hospice teams with a centralized...
