Military/Veterans

Modern war wounds can devastate vets' sexual, emotional health
It is hard to even imagine having your genitals crushed, burned or ripped off in a blast by a makeshift bomb, said Dr. Chris Gonzalez, the lead author of a new review article published recently in The Journal of Men's Health. "For some, it's even worse than losing a limb," he said. MedicalXpress

Study in mice raises question: Could PTSD involve immune response to stress?
Chronic stress that produces inflammation and anxiety in mice appears to prime their immune systems for a prolonged fight, causing the animals to have an excessive reaction to a single acute stressor weeks later, new research suggests. Ohio State University

Study questions programs to prevent psychological problems for troops
Many federal programs aimed at preventing psychological problems for military service members and their families have not been evaluated correctly to determine whether they are working or supported by science, says a new report commissioned by theDefense Department. MedicalXpress

Researchers find neurons responsible for tying together fearful events with environment
Researchers working at Columbia University have identified a neuron that serves to tie fearful events with the environment in which they occurred. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team explains how they isolated the special neuron and how its identification furthers the understanding of how memories are formed in the brain. MedicalXpress

The military veteran to physician assistant pathway: building the primary care workforce
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) implements two strategies to help prepare and graduate veterans from PA education programs. First, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) grants help develop the primary care workforce. In 2012, HRSA introduced reserved review points for PCTE: Physician Assistant Training in Primary Care applicants with veteran-targeted activities, increasing their likelihood of receiving funding. Second, HRSA leads civilian and military stakeholder workgroups that are identifying recruitment and retention activities and curricula adaptations that maximize veterans' potential as PAs. Both strategies are described, and early outcomes are presented. Brock D, Bolon S, Wick K, Harbert K, Jacques P, Evans T, Abdullah A, Gianola FJ. Acad Med. 2013 Dec;88(12):1890-4. PMID: 24128629

Air Force aircraft returned from Vietnam identified as postwar source of Agent Orange contamination
From 1971-1982 Air Force reservists, who flew in about 34 dioxin-contaminated aircraft used to spray Agent Orange and returned to the US following discontinuation of the herbicide spraying operations in the Vietnam War, were exposed greater levels of dioxin than previously acknowledged, according to a study published today in Environmental Research. Eurekalert!

Which Bullets Are Safe in an MRI?
In other words, avoid using an MRI if you suspect a steel bullet -- say, an armor-piercing bullet with stainless steel cores, or steel shotgun pellet -- was involved in a past injury. After all, many implants are verboten in an MRI because they contain metal. MedPage Today