Veterans Affairs News and Research

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Maintaining healthy weight may be key to prevent MGUS progression to multiple myeloma

New research shows that excess weight increases the risk that a benign blood disorder will progress into multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood.

18 Nov 2016

Drugs used to treat acid reflux and ulcers may increase risk of developing kidney stones and CKD

Certain medications commonly used to treat heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcers can have damaging effects on the kidneys.

18 Nov 2016

Veterans Affairs researchers discover alleles of certain genes that offer protection from GWI

Veterans Affairs researchers have found that certain forms, or alleles, of a gene known to play a key role in the immune system appear to offer protection from Gulf War illness (GWI). Further, they discovered how such protection is manifested in the brain.

17 Nov 2016

Research shows CRAC channel inhibitors decrease lesion size, brain hemorrhage, and neurological deficits in TBI model

Researchers from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and UCSF, and CalciMedica, Inc., are presenting a poster at the 46th annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego describing the use of calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channel inhibitors in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

16 Nov 2016

Study shows how Zika virus infection leads to production of smaller disease-causing RNAs

Researchers, led by scientists at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, have found basic molecular processes used by the Zika virus to "hijack" the cells that it infects and potentially how it makes molecules that are directly linked to disease.

11 Nov 2016

Diagnosis and management of constipation may help protect kidney health

Researchers have discovered a link between constipation and poor kidney health. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, suggest that the diagnosis and management of constipation might be helpful for preventing or treating kidney disease.

11 Nov 2016

High-intensity statin treatments increase survival rates in patients with cardiovascular disease

A large national study has confirmed the value of high-intensity statin treatments for people with cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

9 Nov 2016

Scientists identify new way to block action of genetic mutations found in most cancers

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have identified a new way to block the action of genetic mutations found in nearly 30 percent of all cancers.

7 Nov 2016

Regular consumption of dietary emulsifiers promotes colorectal cancer in mice

Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend shelf life, can alter intestinal bacteria in a manner that promotes intestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer, according to a new study.

7 Nov 2016

Novel brain-focused population health management program lowers depression severity

The Aging Brain Care Medical Home, a novel brain-focused population health management program implemented in the homes of older adults, lowered depression severity by more than 50 percent over six months according to a new study from the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University Center for Aging Research, IU Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science, and Eskenazi Health.

4 Nov 2016

Brain inflammation may have direct involvement in development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy

For the first time, researchers have shown that inflammation in the brain may have direct involvement in the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In addition, they found that the number of years one plays contact sports may predict the occurrence of CTE and that this association is partly due to increased inflammation in the brain.

3 Nov 2016

Researchers identify potential approach for preventing neurological problems caused by blast-related TBI

More than 200,000 U.S. soldiers serving in the Middle East have experienced a blast-related traumatic brain injury, making it a common health problem and concern for that population.

31 Oct 2016

Scientists find way to produce realistic sensations of touch in human amputees

Scientists at the University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University have found a way to produce realistic sensations of touch in two human amputees by directly stimulating the nervous system.

27 Oct 2016

Many ulcerative colitis patients with anemia do not receive testing and treatment, study reports

Many patients with ulcerative colitis don't receive recommended testing and treatment for the common problem of iron deficiency anemia, reports a study in the October issue of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, official journal of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

24 Oct 2016

New oncogene may contribute to high incidence of prostate cancer among African American men

A team of scientists has identified MNX1 as a new oncogene - a gene than can cause cancer - that is more active in African American prostate cancer than in European American prostate cancer.

21 Oct 2016

Nova Southeastern University hosts international conference organized by IACFS/ME

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), sometimes referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a mysterious, debilitating and misunderstood disease that affects an estimated 1 million Americans, will be the focus of an international conference on October 27-30, 2016.

20 Oct 2016

UA study questions safety and efficacy of selenium in reducing risk of colorectal cancer

A 12-year study led by a team of University of Arizona Cancer Center researchers is bringing into question the safety and efficacy of selenium, a popular nutritional supplement touted to combat and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

14 Oct 2016

ACMSD enzyme could become key target for new drugs aimed at preventing suicide

An enzyme called ACMSD—part of a chain of biochemical reactions called the kynurenine pathway, activated by inflammation—could become an important target for new drugs aimed at preventing suicide.

3 Oct 2016

Researchers uncover key factor for promoting wound healing after corneal injuries

In cases of severe ocular trauma involving the cornea, wound healing occurs following intervention, but at the cost of opaque scar tissue formation and damaged vision. Recent research has shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) — which can differentiate into a variety of cells, including bone, cartilage, muscle and fat cells — are capable of returning clarity to scarred corneas; however, the mechanisms by which this happens remained a mystery — until now.

29 Sep 2016

Department of Defense funds cardiac cell therapy trial for heart failure patients

Building on the results of a recent Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute study published just six months ago, the Department of Defense has awarded a $10 million grant to fund a cardiac cell therapy trial for patients diagnosed with a common but difficult-to-treat form of heart failure.

28 Sep 2016