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MU Study Pairs Military Veterans and Shelter Dogs to Ease Transition Home for Veterans; Train Shelter Dogs To Be More Adoptable

By Guest PostJuly 29, 2011Healtha better world for pets, banfield charitable trust, combat related issues, eunice shriver kennedy, joe simpson, mars petcare, pedigree foundation, post traumatic stress disorder, ptsd, ptsd service dogs, rebecca johnson, springfield, the waltham foundation, tiddly, united states service members, university of missouri, veterans, wars in iraq and afghanistan

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Of the 2 million United States Service members that have been in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s estimated that up to 50 percent experience combat-related issues ranging from substance abuse to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Now, a University of Missouri professor is conducting a unique study that will give military veterans a “training buddy” to help them cope while helping shelter dogs become more adoptable. The Central Missouri Humane Society is supplying the dogs involved in the study.

The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI) has been supported and funded through a series of grants from Mars Petcare (the WALTHAM Foundation, PEDIGREE Foundation and Banfield Charitable Trust) and the MU Research Board, to conduct a study of the mutual benefit of veterans training shelter dogs. Researchers hope this partnership between man and animal will make the dogs better family members and assist the veterans’ adjustment after returning home. (more…)

Two Genetic Variations Predict Second Cancers after Radiation Treatment for Children with Hodgkin’s

By Guest PostJuly 28, 2011Health, Scienceandrew skol, apoptosis, cancer types, cells, differentiation, fundamental cellular processes, gene, genetic variations, hodgkins lymphoma, hodgkins survivors, kenan onel, nature medicine, prdm1, prmd1 gene, proliferation, radiation and chemotherapy, radiation induced second cancers, radiation therapy, sarah jackson, single nucleotide polymorphisms, timothy best, treatable cancers

A genome-wide association study published in the August issue of Nature Medicine has found two tiny genetic variations that can predict which patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma are most likely to develop radiation-induced second cancers years after treatment. Knowing in advance who is at risk could help physicians tailor treatment to reduce the risks for patients who are most susceptible to long-term damage.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of the most treatable cancers, with more than 90 percent of patients surviving after a combination of radiation and chemotherapy. But nearly 20 percent of patients treated as children develop a second cancer within 30 years. The younger the patients are when treated and the higher the radiation dose, the greater the risk. This late side effect of treatment is the second leading cause of death for long-term Hodgkin’s survivors. (more…)

Positive Thinking: Optimism Lowers Risk of Having Stroke

By Guest PostJuly 22, 2011Healtheffect of optimism, heart health, optimism level, optimistic attitude, positive thinking, stroke risk

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—A positive outlook on life might lower the risk of having a stroke, according to a new University of Michigan study. (more…)

Healthcare Reform Must Involve Psychologists, Medical Providers, Educate Patients, MU Researcher Finds

By Guest PostJuly 21, 2011General, Healthaccountable care organizations, aco, american psychological association, healthcare reform law, medical care, members of congress, nancy cheak zamora, oxford university press, patient protection and affordable care act, policymakers, psychologists, psychology and rehabilitation, united states, university of missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. — While some members of Congress and others are trying to repeal the healthcare reform law that was passed in 2010, known as the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” medical providers have begun to implement requirements as the law slowly phases in over the next several years. For reform to be successful, one University of Missouri public health expert has determined that professional associations for psychologists and other medical providers need to be at the forefront of the planning stages, and that everyone, including providers and patients, will need to be educated on rights and responsibilities.

“We looked at psychology departments here in the United States and in other countries to determine what worked best when implementing the policies outlined in healthcare reform,” said Nancy Cheak-Zamora, assistant professor of health science in the MU School of Health Professions. “Many providers, especially psychologists, work independently, but the new healthcare law is encouraging providers to develop a medical team approach, one that can tackle many different aspects of a disease.” (more…)

Neurosurgeon’s Rare Skills Saved a Haitian Priest’s Life

By Guest PostJuly 20, 2011Healthaneurysm, brain, catheter, endovascular surgery, femoral artery, haiti, ketan bulsara, neuroendovascular and skull-based surgery, neurosurgeons, norbert tibeau, optic nerve, pituitary gland, priesthood, skull based cerebrovascular microsurgery, state of the art technology, yale medical group, yale new haven hospital

On April 26, Dr. Ketan Bulsara, using state-of-the-art technology, threaded a catheter less than one centimeter in width from the femoral artery in Norbert Tibeau’s thigh into an aneurysm in his brain. The aneurysm had grown to a diameter of two centimeters and bordered on such critical structures as the optic nerve and pituitary gland. If left untreated chances were high that within five years it would either kill Tibeau or devastate him neurologically. (more…)

Tai Chi Helps Prevent Falls and Improves Mental Health in Elderly

By PravdaJuly 19, 2011Healthancient chinese art, balance, british, cardiovascular disease, chinese, diabetes, diseases, effects of tai chi on health, elderly, hypertension, improves mental health, korean, meditative effects, musculoskeletal pain, osteoporosis, parkinson's, philosophy of tai chi, symptoms of cancer or rheumatoid arthritis, tai chi, tai chi master, treatment for fibromyalgia, yang chengfu

Tai Chi helps reduce the risk of falls in the elderly, and improves mental health, is what a new study shows. However, practicing the ancient Chinese art does not help to ease the symptoms of cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.

The information is from the research of a team that analyzed 35 reviews of studies evaluating the effects of Tai Chi on health.

The databases reviewed were British, Chinese and Korean that assessed the impact of Tai Chi on various diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, osteoarthritis, Parkinson’s, musculoskeletal pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. (more…)

MU Professor Creates Resource for Helping People with Brain Injuries

By Guest PostJuly 18, 2011Healthbrain injury, brain injury in veterans and children, centers for disease control and prevention, knowledge of tbi, life changing events, military professionals, police officers, public health impact, social workers, stephanie reid arndt, tbi, traumatic brain injuries, university of missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.7 million people suffer traumatic brain injuries each year. Stephanie Reid-Arndt, chair and assistant professor of health psychology in the University of Missouri School of Health Professions, has launched The Brain Injury Guide and Resources at https:// braininjuryeducation.com/ to provide a resource for people to understand traumatic brain injuries.

“Brain injuries aren’t visible like other injuries, and often, people with brain injuries can be misunderstood,” Reid-Arndt said. “Direct results of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) include cognitive difficulties, changes in behavior or difficulty managing anger that are direct results of the brain injuries. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often misconstrued as willfully uncooperative behavior.” (more…)

Omega-3 Reduces Anxiety and Inflammation in Healthy Students

By Guest PostJuly 16, 2011Healthanxiety, fish oil, inflammation, janice kiecolt glaser, level of cytokines, martha belury, natural immune response, ohio state university, omega 3 supplements, omega-3, proinflammatory cytokines, psychological stress and immunity, risk for many diseases, ron glaser, salmon, tnfa, tumor necrosis factor alpha

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people.

The findings suggest that if young participants can get such improvements from specific dietary supplements, then the elderly and people at high risk for certain diseases might benefit even more. (more…)

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