Veterans Affairs News and Research

RSS

Changes to LZTR1 gene predispose people to develop schwannomas

Changes to a gene called LZTR1 predispose people to develop a rare disorder where multiple tumors called schwannomas form near nerve pathways, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Genetics and led by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

24 Dec 2013

Six common diseases arise from DNA changes, finds new research

Many rare disorders are caused by gene mutation, like sickle cell anemia. Yet until now the underlying genetic cause of more common conditions - for example, rheumatoid arthritis - has evaded scientists for years.

22 Dec 2013

Studies offer new insight into diverticulosis

Diverticulosis, a condition that develops when pouches form in the wall of the colon, is increasing in frequency. It affects the majority of those reaching the age of 80 - a growing portion of the population - and imposes a substantial burden on health-care resources, but curiously there is a lack of data and unanswered questions around this condition.

18 Dec 2013

New regulations could improve vets' access to care for some traumatic brain injuries

The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved new regulations to make it easier for veterans to receive health care and compensation for certain illnesses, including Parkinsonism, dementia, and depression, which have been linked to traumatic brain injury

17 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 16, 2013

Today's headlines include findings from an Associated Press poll probing Americans thoughts about the health law.

16 Dec 2013

Research roundup: Long-term care use varies dramatically by state; health spending slowdown explained

In 2012, about 58,500 paid, regulated long-term care services providers served about 8 million people in the United States. Long-term care services were provided by 4,800 adult day services centers, 12,200 home health agencies, 3,700 hospices, 15,700 nursing homes, and 22,200 assisted living and similar residential care communities. Each day in 2012, there were 273,200 participants enrolled in adult day services centers, 1,383,700 residents in nursing homes, and 713,300 residents in residential care communities; in 2011, about 4,742,500 patients received services from home health agencies, and 1,244,500 patients received services from hospices. Provider sectors differed in ownership, and average size and supply varied by region (Harris-Kojetin et al., 12/12).

16 Dec 2013

U.S. Marines investigate association between traumatic brain injury and risk of PTSD

In a novel study of U.S. Marines investigating the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over time, a team of scientists led by researchers from the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System and University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that TBIs suffered during active-duty deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan were the greatest predictor for subsequent PTSD, but found pre-deployment PTSD symptoms and high combat intensity were also significant factors.

12 Dec 2013

Researchers may have figured out ways to attack Meniere's disease

Researchers at University of Colorado School of Medicine may have figured out what causes Meniere's disease and how to attack it. According to Carol Foster, MD, from the department of otolaryngology and Robert Breeze, MD, a neurosurgeon, there is a strong association between Meniere's disease and conditions involving temporary low blood flow in the brain such as migraine headaches.

7 Dec 2013

Quadriplegics have heightened risk of central sleep apnea

There are over a million people with spinal cord injuries in the United States alone with an estimated 11,000 new cases every year. Furthermore, it is estimated that there are, at least, 100,000 veterans with SCI, making the VA the largest integrated health care system in the world for SCI care. But despite this large prevalence, researchers are still discovering all the various ways that SCI affect those with this condition beyond the obvious paralysis.

6 Dec 2013

Research show that risk of diverticulosis is lower than previously thought

People who have diverticulosis, or pouches in the lining of the colon, often worry that they will eventually develop a painful and sometimes serious condition called diverticulitis, as previous research has shown that one in four, or up to 25 percent, of those with the condition will.

3 Dec 2013

Newly identified protein could prove promising new drug target for AIDS

Researchers have identified a protein that causes loss of function in immune cells combatting HIV. The scientists report in a paper appearing online Dec. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that the protein, Sprouty-2, is a promising target for future HIV drug development, since disabling it could help restore the cells' ability to combat the virus that causes AIDS.

2 Dec 2013

Long-term untreated PTSD symptoms may increase risk of cardiovascular health

There is growing concern that long-term untreated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may increase the risk of developing a number of medical problems, particularly compromised cardiovascular health.

2 Dec 2013

Lockheed Martin donates funds to new telehealth suite dedicated for wounded warriors

Thanks to a $4 million gift from Lockheed Martin, UCLA Health System's Operation Mend now has a state-of-the-art telehealth suite, which will enable improved communication between the program's personnel, patients and partners, and a renovated recovery area for the wounded warriors who undergo surgery at the Westwood facility.

26 Nov 2013

22% of African-American adults in Cleveland use little cigars

A new data brief released by the Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods at Case Western Reserve University (PRCHN) shows that more than one-in-five African-American young adults in Cleveland, ages 18 to 29, routinely uses little cigars.

26 Nov 2013

Doctor-patient communication critical for success of patient-centered medical homes

A new trend in American health care is the patient-centered medical home. The approach revolves around a team of medical and health professionals who, working together, treat an individual, led by a primary-care physician who orchestrates the whole effort. The goal is the team knows everything about the patient, no matter how disparate the symptoms—from the earache last night to the long history of high cholesterol—and works together to treat the individual in a holistic way.

20 Nov 2013

NSU researchers selected to participate in DoD Gulf War Illness Research Program Consortium

Nova Southeastern University President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., recently announced that a NSU research team led by Mariana Morris, Ph.D., and Nancy Klimas, M.D., was selected by the U.S. Department of Defense as one of two DoD Gulf War Illness Research Program Consortium awardees.

20 Nov 2013

Long-term use of PDE3 inhibitors can lead to increased risk for sudden cardiac death

Drugs known as PDE3 inhibitors save many lives by helping failing hearts do a better job of pumping blood. But those same medications come with a sometimes deadly cost when taken for long periods: an increased risk for sudden cardiac death.

19 Nov 2013

Patients better adhere to medication regimens following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome

Patients better adhered to their medication regimens in the year following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome when they were part of a program that included personalized attention from a pharmacist compared with usual care, according to a study by P. Michael Ho, M.D., Ph.D., of the Denver VA Medical Center, and colleagues.

19 Nov 2013

CCP scores lower in prostate cancer patients who consume low-fat fish oil diet

Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict cancer recurrence, than men who ate a typical Western diet, UCLA researchers found.

19 Nov 2013

Residents of major cities with high pollution levels have increased risk of dry eye syndrome

Residents of major cities with high levels of air pollution have an increased risk of dry eye syndrome, according to a study presented at the world's largest ophthalmic conference, the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in New Orleans.

17 Nov 2013

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Changes to LZTR1 gene predispose people to develop schwannomas

Six common diseases arise from DNA changes, finds new research

Studies offer new insight into diverticulosis

New regulations could improve vets' access to care for some traumatic brain injuries

First Edition: December 16, 2013

Research roundup: Long-term care use varies dramatically by state; health spending slowdown explained

U.S. Marines investigate association between traumatic brain injury and risk of PTSD

Researchers may have figured out ways to attack Meniere's disease

Quadriplegics have heightened risk of central sleep apnea

Research show that risk of diverticulosis is lower than previously thought

Newly identified protein could prove promising new drug target for AIDS

Long-term untreated PTSD symptoms may increase risk of cardiovascular health

Lockheed Martin donates funds to new telehealth suite dedicated for wounded warriors

22% of African-American adults in Cleveland use little cigars

Doctor-patient communication critical for success of patient-centered medical homes

NSU researchers selected to participate in DoD Gulf War Illness Research Program Consortium

Long-term use of PDE3 inhibitors can lead to increased risk for sudden cardiac death

Patients better adhere to medication regimens following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome

CCP scores lower in prostate cancer patients who consume low-fat fish oil diet

Residents of major cities with high pollution levels have increased risk of dry eye syndrome

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News