Feature Channels: Military Health

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Press can register here to livestream this special session through Newswise Live on Monday, July 31 at 7:30 PM EDT. The winner of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE competition will present DxtER—a real-life tricorder—at the 69th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in San Diego. This special session will be the first time that the device is presented to researchers at a U.S. scientific conference.

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A test called the lung clearance index (LCI) is superior to standard tests in identifying patients with lung disease related to military deployment, suggests a study in the August Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

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A ban on transgender people serving in the United States military is an attempt to make policy with no logical foundation in evidence or expertise on the matter, says an expert on transgender aging at Washington University in St. Louis.President Donald Trump announced July 26 that the United States military will no longer allow or accept transgender people.

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The American Psychological Association questioned President Trump’s announced ban on transgender people serving “in any capacity” in the U.S. military, a reversal of the previous administration’s decision to allow transgender military personnel to serve openly.

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Army Major General (Dr.) Joseph Caravalho, Jr., a 1983 graduate of the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine ("America's Medical School"), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), was selected as the next president and chief executive officer of HJF, effective September 1, according to an announcement today by Mr. Philip Odeen, chair of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF) Council of Directors. Caravalho is currently the Joint Staff Surgeon at the Pentagon and chief medical adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing recommendations to the Chairman, the Joint Staff and Combatant Commanders on a wide range of medical and readiness issues.

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Does a previous suicide attempt in a soldier’s unit increase the risk of additional suicide attempts? According to a study, “Risk of Suicide Attempt Associated with Previous Attempts in One’s Army Unit,” published July 26, 2017 in JAMA Psychiatry, the answer is yes.

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Providers in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) system vary in their testosterone prescribing practices, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. This is the first study to examine provider and site predictors of testosterone prescribing in the VA.

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Learning from the ‘mammalian diving reflex,’ UB researchers have successfully tested face cooling to prevent steep drops in blood pressure during simulated blood loss, a prehospital intervention that EMTs and battlefield medics could one day use to save lives.

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A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard recently received a new heart and liver at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), one of only a handful of hospitals that have performed the dual transplant surgery this year.

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Military sexual trauma (MST) is defined as sexual harassment and/or sexual trauma experienced during the course of military service. It includes uninvited or unwanted verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature, such as attention, verbal remarks, touching, sexual coercion, sexual assault, and rape. It happens to both men and women, and can have not only mental and physical but also behavioral health consequences such as substance use/abuse. Recent findings will be shared at the 40th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Denver June 24-28.

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The 40th annual Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Scientific Meeting will take place June 25-28 in Denver, Colorado. RSA 2017 provides a meeting place for scientists and clinicians from across the country, and around the world, to interact. The meeting also gives members and non-members the chance to present their latest findings in alcohol research through abstract and symposia submissions. Below are eight programming highlights. For full press releases, images or abstracts, email [email protected].

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While most research on the topic focuses on gaming’s role in clinical settings, West Virginia University research seeks to understand how everyday gameplay can provide military and veterans self-directed coping strategies to manage their physical and psychological stressors.

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Donning high-tech virtual and augmented reality simulators, while testing out revolutionary modular prosthetic limbs and interacting with experts in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math, a group of about 23 middle school-aged military children had a chance to learn inspiring and exciting lessons during a two-day workshop June 3-4 at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).

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On the front lines, United States service men and women serve and protect the American dream. When they return home, many desire to achieve it for themselves. At Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, veterans with a desire to start their own business or venture are given the tools, confidence and opportunity to make their dreams a reality.

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Medications can help people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol. One medication that can reduce alcohol craving and help promote recovery is naltrexone, which is approved for treatment of alcohol dependence by the Food and Drug Administration. It is available in two forms – injectable and oral. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of injectable versus oral naltrexone, administered in a hospital setting to enhance treatment compliance when patients leave the hospital.

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NASA officials announced their newest class of astronaut candidates and Army Maj. (Dr.) Francisco “Frank” Rubio, 41, a Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) graduate is among the select group of trainees.

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GW researchers studied the life and health span of a group of centenarian World War II veterans at the VA medical center in Washington, D.C.

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After months of negotiations and two Continuing Resolutions, Congress reached an agreement to fund the federal government's FY 2017 budget on May 5th. This budget package represents the first time that Congress permitted federal research funding to help our military members and their families affected by eating disorders.

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A ‘designer’ manganese-peptide antioxidant of the world’s toughest bacterium, combined with radiation, have shown to be successful in the development of a vaccine to counter Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV), a biothreat agent, and Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness causing severe outbreaks around the world, according to a study “Deinococcus Mn2+-Peptide Complex: A Novel Approach to Alphavirus Vaccine Development,” published online May 22 in the journal, Vaccine, published by Elsevier.

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The first Military Operational and Readiness Precision Medicine Research Conference will be held May 30-31. The meeting is designed to bring researchers, scientists and policymakers together to present the state of the science related to the most prevalent research opportunities in the field of precision medicine that will advance the operational readiness for the warfighter and the communities they serve.

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Vets4Warriors, operated by Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, receives prestigious Pro Patria Award

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More than 330 uniformed professionals and their guests will receive their long-deserved medical, graduate nursing, dental and biomedical science, public health and clinical psychology degrees on May 20 – Armed Forces Day – at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) 38th commencement exercise at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

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Lieutenant General (Retired) Eric B. Schoomaker, MD, PhD will be the 2017 AMSSM Presidential Keynote Speaker, lecturing on the topic of chronic pain and addition at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine this week in San Diego, Calif.

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A new study finds that long periods of physiological stress can change the composition of microorganisms residing in the intestines (intestinal microbiota), which could increase health risks in endurance athletes and military personnel. The study, published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, is the first to study the response of the intestinal microbiota during military training.

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Some of the nation’s best and brightest clinical and scientific minds will see their achievements highlighted as part of the annual Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Research Days taking place throughout the month beginning May 2.

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Dr. David Brody, who is considered one of the world’s foremost researchers on traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases, has been appointed to the faculty of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), a Department of Defense agency, and will direct the university’s Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM).

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Retired Air Force trauma surgeon, Mark W. Bowyer, M.D., has been named as the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize by the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie. The Robert Danis Prize is awarded to the surgeon who has made the most important and personal contributions to the fields of trauma, burns or critical care. Bowyer was selected for his life-long endeavors and “broad contributions to the field of trauma covering all aspects from basic and clinical science research to clinical application and futuristic planning,” according to the Society’s announcement.

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A new study by RTI International and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, published in Pain suggests that opioid use among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) veterans is roughly comparable to that of the general U.S. population.

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Transgender people make up a small percentage of active-duty U.S. military personnel, but their experience in the service may yield long-term, positive effects on their mental health and quality of life. A study from the University of Washington finds that among transgender older adults, those who had served in the military reported fewer symptoms of depression and greater mental health-related quality of life.

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Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has appointed Spencer C. Hoover, vice president and executive director of the Henry Ford Cancer Institute, to serve on the prestigious nine-member Board of Directors of the Michigan Veterans' Facility Authority.

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Healthcare providers, commanders, and military service members looking for information on dietary supplements can now find evidence-based answers on a new Department of Defense (DoD) program website.

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The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum (NQF) announced the 2016 John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is among the members of I-PASS Study Group, a patient safety research collaboration, selected to receive the prestigious award during NQF's annual conference, Apr. 4-5, in Washington, DC.

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Navy Commander (Dr.) Jonathan A. Forsberg, professor and director of the DOD Osseointegration Program and Musculoskeletal Oncology in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences-Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (USU-WRNMMC) Department of Surgery, has been selected to receive the 2017 Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

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The brains of men and women are wired differently, and when it comes to traumatic brain injuries (TBI), women are more likely to develop subsequent neuropsychiatric disorders, like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Until now, it’s been unclear why that is, but a new study by researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) provides that missing link – a potentially disrupted pathway in the brain.

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An engineer at Washington University in St. Louis is working to create a probiotic that would help protect the host from the negative health effects of adrenaline surges. The new probiotic could easily be mixed into yogurt or taken in pill form.

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People who lose a partner to suicide are at increased risk for a number of mental and physical disorders, including cancer, depression, herniated discs and mood disorders than those in the general population, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

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In this month’s release, find new embargoed research about: U.S. counties with highest risk of Zika infections; costs of initial hospitalizations for firearm injuries; and sexual assault victimization of women in the U.S. Army.

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Retired Navy Captain (Dr.) Ildy M. Katona will step down as chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in late May, after more than two decades in the position.

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Bethesda, Md -- Navy Captain (Dr.) Mark S. Riddle, an expert in tropical medicine and public health, was selected to lead the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine – ‘America’s Medical School’. Riddle will begin his new duties in May.

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Nearly 50 percent of recently-deployed Soldiers who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury reported post-concussive symptoms – like headaches, sleep disturbance, and forgetfulness – three months after returning from deployment, according to a study published March 17 in Neurology by researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), and the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center.

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University of Montreal bioethicists study whether health professionals in the Canadian Armed Forces can abide by two ethics codes, civilian and military

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Army Colonel (Dr.) David M. Benedek will succeed Dr. Robert J. Ursano, M.D., as chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine – ‘America’s Medical School’. Ursano announced last year that he would be stepping down as chair after 24 years, but will remain with the department as the director of USU’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.

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New study tests potential treatment to combat Gulf War illness

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Chyke Doubeni, MD, MPH, chair and the presidential professor of the department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been appointed to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Established in 1984, this independent, volunteer group of experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine improve the Nation’s health by providing recommendations on clinical preventive services, such as screenings, counseling services, and preventive medications.

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SPOKANE, Wash. – New research from Sarah Arpin, assistant professor of psychology at Gonzaga University, concludes that partners who share good news, and believe their partners are receptive and supportive, sleep better. This is likely correlated to a decrease in loneliness and improved overall health, noted Arpin, who presented her research on military couples and relational health at the 2017 Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Convention in late January.

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Columbia University researchers have evidence that giving a small dose of ketamine one week before a psychologically traumatic event may help prevent PTSD. The study, in mice, may have implications for soldiers who are at risk for trauma and PTSD.