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Why do some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others who suffered the same ordeal do not? A new UCLA discovery may shed light on the answer. UCLA scientists have linked two gene variants to the debilitating mental disorder, suggesting that heredity influences a person’s risk of developing PTSD. Published in the February 2015 edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders, the findings could provide a biological basis for diagnosing and treating PTSD more

Mischelle and DeAngelo are a married couple from Washington, DC, whose sleeping arrangement may raise some eyebrows: For the last three years, this husband and wife have been sleeping in separate beds. “It’s a functional thing,” Mischelle explains in the above video. “I don’t like to be touched while I’m sleeping; he likes to cuddle.” While she seems happy with the arrangement, her husband isn’t quite as comfortable with it. So, the two Skype into

Viruses flourish in high-density areas and vacation spots where large numbers of visitors coming together, bringing their unique colonies of pathogens. So it shouldn’t be particularly surprising that an outbreak of measles has been tracked back to December visits to Disneyland in Orange County, Calif. A total of 17 confirmed cases of measles originated with visits to the theme park, confirmed the California Department of Public Health. Measles is highly contagious. The virus lives in

The empathic process is a noteworthy style of communication. I developed the empathic process as a viable way for two people in a relationship to build a new pattern of dialogue that is healthy and successful for both. How it works Find a neutral location, preferably the kitchen, which is the heart of the house and a place where alchemy happens, rather than someone’s office, bedroom or place of power. The rules of engagement in

We can all appreciate the tailwinds in our lives, the ones that carry us unobstructed to our intended destinations. A good tailwind delivers big rewards with little effort. If we experience it early enough in life, we may mistake it for routine, or at least our routine. We may even wonder why others, caught in the headwinds, are unable to move ahead as quickly, or at all. But no matter how lucky or grand our

It is critical that four healthcare issues be considered in the 114th Congress the American College of Physicians (ACP) today told Senators Reid and McConnell, Representatives Boehner and Pelosi, and chairs and ranking members of the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The remarks were made in three-page letters to both the Senate and House from David A. Fleming, MD, MA, MACP, President of ACP.

At the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, three scientists are planning to create a virus capable of destroying brain cancer. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it isn’t hypothetical – the researchers were recently awarded a grant from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund, part of the Center for Innovative Technology, to engineer a viral therapy. The scientists’ goal is to eradicate glioblastomas, particularly nasty cancerous tumors found in the brain. From the

The new year is a chance for new beginnings, an opportunity to eat better and to take better care of ourselves; many look to popular media for ideas on how to best achieve these goals. Dr. Oz dispenses such advice regularly on his TV show and many health related resolutions start with “I heard it on Dr. Oz,” but how sound are his recommendations? A new study in the BMJ randomly selected 40 episodes of

January is Cervical Cancer Month. So it is time to look at what has been accomplished recently in control of this disease. Getting treatment for advanced cervical cancer is challenging. Patients often have pelvic pain, sometimes with blockage of intestines and the urinary tract. Regrettably many patients have fistulas (holes) develop where they leak urine or stool through the skin, vagina or bladder. These are cruel consequences of failed cancer control. About 13,000 women will

Just as the broader conservation effort focuses on restoring human-altered ecosystems to their wild, natural state, human rewilding seeks to bring that balance back to a person’s soul. As the rewilding movement gains momentum across the country, people are stepping up to explain just how amazing it feels to reconnect with nature. TED speaker George Monbiot joined HuffPost Live host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani today to explain how rewilding has helped him renew his sense of wonder

When it comes to men’s grooming, there’s usually a lot of trial and error involved as guys search for the right routine to complement their individual lifestyles. In fact, tech entrepreneur Tristan Walker — admired in Silicon Valley for his success as head of business development at Foursquare — was so frustrated with the quality of over-the-counter razor blades, which constantly left him with razor bumps, that he stopped shaving altogether for 15 years. That’s

The U.S. House passed legislation to approve the pipeline on Friday and the Senate is expected to take up the issue in coming weeks. President Obama has threatened a veto. In the meantime, a legal challenge over the route the pipeline would take through Nebraska has been resolved — for now.

This is what happens when a persistent eye doctor turns into a detective, a benevolent inventor-entrepreneur works overtime and a federal agency acts a lot faster than federal agencies usually get credit for. Through persistence, teamwork and luck, they managed to save the eyesight of David Jiang, a software engineer from Olathe Kan. A year ago, after a routine physical, Jiang got the disturbing news that he had leukemia. “I was shocked,” he said, when

(HealthDay)—A new anti-clotting drug to reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots and strokes in people with a type of heart rhythm disorder has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Savaysa (edoxaban) is approved to treat people with atrial fibrillation that’s not caused by a heart valve problem. Atrial fibrillation—the most common type of heart rhythm disorder—increases the risk of developing blood clots that can travel to the brain and cause a

The UN children’s agency said on Friday it was helping Ebola-battered countries in west Africa resume measles immunisations at a peak transmission time in the region. Measles transmission traditionally peaks in west Africa between December and March. The disease can be fatal. This comes at a time when the Ebola crisis has claimed more than 8,200 lives and overwhelmed health care systems in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea which are at the centre of the

(HealthDay)—Documented occupational acquisition of HIV has now become rare in the United States, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. M. Patricia Joyce, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues compiled data for 58 confirmed and 150 possible cases of occupationally acquired HIV infection among health care workers (HCWs) reported to the CDC from 1985 to 2013. The

(HealthDay)—A three-step intervention addressing the diverse causes of medication errors can reduce these errors in a pediatric setting, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. Noting that one in five preventable adverse drug events in hospitalized children are caused by medication errors, Dorothee Niemann, from the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and colleagues developed a three-step intervention study including monitoring procedure. Pharmacists monitored drug handling by nurses

i i Martin Pistorius sometime between 1990 and 1994, when he was unable to communicate. Courtesy of Martin Pistorius hide caption itoggle caption Courtesy of Martin Pistorius Martin Pistorius sometime between 1990 and 1994, when he was unable to communicate. Courtesy of Martin Pistorius What would you do if you were locked in your body, your brain intact but with no way to communicate? How do you survive emotionally when you are invisible to everyone

i i Men from the Mbenzele Pygmy ethnic group listen to Western music for the first time while an anthropologist measures their vital signs, such as heart rate and skin perspiration. University of Montreal hide caption itoggle caption University of Montreal Men from the Mbenzele Pygmy ethnic group listen to Western music for the first time while an anthropologist measures their vital signs, such as heart rate and skin perspiration. University of Montreal In many

This article was written by Kelsey Miller and repurposed with permission from Refinery29. Kerri’s crisis hit in the middle of a meeting. Until then, nobody knew she had a problem. “I could put some on very quickly and they wouldn’t notice,” she told me. But in reality, she was using lip balm up to 300 times per day. Lip balm “addiction” is frequently debated in dermatology and psychology. Although it’s not a clinically defined addiction, there’s

Join the Women’s Health Weekend Challenge to help you meet your fitness goals fast and make your weekend workouts count. Thousands of women already have. Join them, and achieve your fitness goals faster! Rotating T Extension: If your core routine involves a ton of crunches or holding the plank position forever, it’s time to spice things up. This rotating move engages your core, shoulders, lats, upper back, and (bonus!) glutes. So go ahead: Show this exercise

We’ve all said it: “I feel like I’m having a panic attack.” But are you really? Probably not (it’s one of those things where you would know if you were really having one). To find out for sure, though, read on to learn exactly what constitutes a panic attack—and what to do if you’re having one. “A panic attack is a brief episode of intense fear that lasts anywhere from five to 20 minutes,” says

Sierra Leone rang in the new year without the usual midnight festivities on its beaches in the steamy capital. Instead, the president urged the nation to stay at home, fast and pray that the plague of Ebola will finally end in West Africa. “Our national New Year’s resolution for 2015 is surely we must defeat Ebola, and to snuff out this vile and ungodly disease,” says retired Maj. Alfred Palo Conteh, who is heading the

In the midst of a worrisome flu season, health officials are pushing doctors to prescribe antiviral medicines more often. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday sent a new alert to doctors, advising prompt use of Tamiflu and other antivirals for hospitalized flu patients and those at higher risk for complications like pneumonia. CDC officials say a nasty strain of flu is going around that is more dangerous to elderly people and very

Locally advanced rectal cancer patients who receive preoperative radiation therapy with either irinotecan plus capecitabine or oxaliplatin plus capecitabine have a four-year overall survival rate of 85 percent and 75 percent, respectively, according to a study published in the January 1, 2015 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (Red Journal), the official scientific journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). This study is a secondary endpoint analysis

Five more people who visited Disney theme parks in California last month have fallen ill with measles, bringing the number of cases in the state to a dozen, local health officials said Friday. Six patients in Southern California’s Orange County have been diagnosed with the illness who visited the local theme parks last month, and only one was fully vaccinated against the disease, said Nicole Stanfield, a spokeswoman for the county’s health care agency. More

A particularly bad flu is sweeping the United States, killing 26 children so far this season and nearly doubling hospitalizations among people over 65 in the past week alone, officials said Friday. The reason is the predominant strain of flu this year is H3N2, a variety that has shown itself in prior years to be more virulent than other kinds. Even more, the vaccine that is supposed to protect against the annual flu is missing

The sun sustains life on Earth, and maybe that’s not all it does. Provocative new research by scientists in Norway suggests there may be a link between solar activity at the time of your birth and how long you’re likely to live. Specifically, the scientists found that the life spans of people born during a so-called “solar maximum” period–when the sun displays the greatest number of sunspots and solar flares in any given solar cycle–are

by guest blogger Renee James, humorist and blogger There are two kinds of people in the world: those who think there are two kinds of people in the world and those who don’t. That theory appeared years ago in one of my columns, and as it turns out, I wasn’t alone in my thinking. Sometime after the column was published, I read Tony Hendra’s poignant memoir, Father Joe. In it, Father Joseph Warrilow, the man

You might think you’re doing yourself a favor if you leave your phone behind when you head to an important meeting or dinner with the in-laws, but a new study suggests just the opposite is true. According to new research from the University of Missouri, being separated from your iPhone can lead to “physiological anxiety” and “poor cognitive performance.” The study, “The Extended iSelf: The Impact of iPhone Separation on Cognition, Emotion, and Physiology,” was

We’re making New Year’s resolutions left and right, it seems, but one we really want to concentrate on this year is to take better care of our feet. After all, as Bette Midler once famously said, “Give a girl the correct footwear and she can conquer the world.” But with our vow in mind, we’re amending these words to, “give a girl the right shoe inserts and she’ll turn any street into a runway.” Our

High metabolism: It’s the Holy Grail of weight loss, the mysterious, magical method by which we burn fat all day, all night, even when we sleep — if only we could crank it up. Marketers know we’re buying metabolism fixes: A quick Google search for “metabolism” turns out some 75 million hits — more than “obesity,” (10M) “weight loss,” (34M) and “Kate Upton” (1.4M) combined! It’s obvious why: In theory, a “metabolism boost” is the

(HealthDay)—For patients with herpes zoster, satellite lesions are prognostic of high-risk disease, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in the British Journal of Dermatology. Lara el Hayderi, from the University of Liège in Belgium, and colleagues prospectively searched for single, isolated, varicella-like skin lesions in herpes zoster patients. Relevant clinical data were obtained from 109 patients with proven herpes zoster. The researchers identified satellite lesions in 21.1 percent of patients. The presence of

(HealthDay)—For older Medicare beneficiaries, having a disorder of binocular vision is associated with increased odds of musculoskeletal injury, fracture, and fall, according to a study published in the January issue of JAMA Ophthalmology. Stacy L. Pineles, M.D., from the University of California in Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a retrospective 10-year study (2002 to 2011) to examine the associations between disorders of binocular vision and musculoskeletal injury, fracture, or fall prevalence. Participants included 2,196,881 community-dwelling

(HealthDay)—Metformin’s role in atherosclerosis may be inhibition of monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation via AMPK-mediated inhibition of STAT3 activation, according to research published online Dec. 31 in Diabetes. Sathish Babu Vasamsetti, from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad, and colleagues examined the molecular mechanisms responsible for monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation. They also examined the effect of metformin in regressing Angiotensin-II-mediated atheromatous plaque formation in ApoE?/? mice. The researchers observed a dose- and time-dependent downregulation in AMPK activity during

(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy surgery, the administration of postoperative topical diclofenac does not alleviate pain, but is effective for local signs such as eyelid edema, according to a study published in the December issue of Clinical Experimental Ophthalmology. Alireza Eslampoor, M.D., from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran, and colleagues conducted a prospective randomized trial involving 68 individuals undergoing bilateral photorefractive keratectomy for myopic correction with or without astigmatism. Participants received 100

(HealthDay)—Fertility outcomes are improved for men who undergo vasectomy reversal and have the same female partner as before vasectomy, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology. Kevin A. Ostrowski, M.D., from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, and colleagues conducted a retrospective study to examine fertility outcomes of 3,135 vasectomy reversals. They examined fertility outcomes for participants, including the 524 patients who underwent microsurgical vasectomy reversal

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As the new year begins, Orlando Health turns the page to a new chapter in patient, guest and team member experience, when Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) opens its new patient tower. On Monday, January 12, visitors to ORMC will begin using the new tower’s front entrance as the main entry into the hospital. Also that day, the tower’s first floor areas – Patient Registration, Guest Services and Administration – will open. Later in the

DiaCarta, Inc.

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Quality improvement protocols in place five years after inception sped up initiation of early physical therapy intervention In a pre- and post-evaluation study, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers found that quality improvement changes made in an intensive care unit (ICU) were still in practice five years later — benefiting both patients and the health care facility. Those changes included new protocols for treating critically ill patients by encouraging early physical therapy in the ICU. The study

Research from the Center for Vital Longevity (CVL) at The University of Texas at Dallas has shed new light on which cognitive processes tend to be preserved with age and which ones decline. Results from a study recently published in NeuroImage confirm behavioral findings that verbal ability—the accurate memory of words and vocabulary—remains intact during a lifetime while reasoning ability decreases in older adults. In the study, participants— 316 individuals ages 20 to 89—made simple

Forget about it. Your brain is a memory powerhouse, constantly recording experiences in long-term memory. Those memories help you find your way through the world: Who works the counter each morning at your favorite coffee shop? How do you turn on the headlights of your car? What color is your best friend’s house? But then your barista leaves for law school, you finally buy a new car and your buddy spends the summer with a

New Year’s weight loss resolutions are in full swing, but despite all the hype about the latest wearable tracking devices, there’s little evidence that this technology alone can change behavior and improve health for those that need it most, according to a new online-first viewpoint piece in JAMA. The paper, written by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, the Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation, and the LDI Center for Health Incentives and

US authorities have approved a test developed by Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche that can detect both HIV and hepatitis viruses, the company said Friday. The Cobas Taqscreen MPX is the only test approved by the US Food and Drug Administration that can simultaneously detect the HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses in human blood and plasma, Roche said. Having a single test eliminates “the need for consecutive rounds of testing” Roche said, stressing that it

A large international study, published today in The Lancet, has shown conclusively that statin treatment reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Whether statin therapy is as effective in women as in men is debated, especially for primary prevention. This study compared the effects of statin therapy between men and women. The research confirms that statins are beneficial not only to women who have already had a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack

Lucideon, the international materials development and testing company, has published a new white paper, ‘Tribology and Testing of Orthopaedic Implants’. Written by Aia Malik, Healthcare Product Manager, and Dr. Chris Pickles, consultant to Lucideon, the paper looks at the assessment of an implant in terms of mechanical testing, debris analysis and surface analysis.  It reviews the key techniques available, focusing on the value of generating a complete picture and an understanding of an orthopaedic implant

A new study by researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has shown that tissue-engineered small intestine grown from human cells replicates key aspects of a functioning human intestine. The tissue-engineered small intestine they developed contains important elements of the mucosal lining and support structures, including the ability to absorb sugars, and even tiny or ultra-structural components like cellular connections. Published online January 8 by the American Journal of Physiology: GI Liver, the work brings surgeons

Existing Facility will become Centre of Excellence for Hormonal Oncology and Step up European Operations Crown Bioscience, Inc., a leading global drug discovery and development service company, has announced that it will double the capacity of the recently acquired PRECOS (Preclinical Oncology Services Limited) facility and will rename the site Crown Bioscience UK Ltd. (Crown UK). In addition, it was announced that Mike Prosser, Executive Director at Crown Bioscience has been appointed General Manager for

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A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology shows that increased UV radiation can have an effect on human fertility over generations. Gine Roll Skjærvø at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Biology has studied church records from 1750-1900 and looked at life history variables: how old were women when they had their first child, and their last? How many years passed between the birth of each child,

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi today announced that two new ODYSSEY trials, which are the first Phase 3 trials to assess alirocumab administered every four weeks, met their primary efficacy endpoints. The trials compared the reduction from baseline in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or “bad” cholesterol) at 24 weeks with alirocumab versus placebo in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Alirocumab is an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9). “In the new

New Year’s weight loss resolutions are in full swing, but despite all the hype about the latest wearable tracking devices, there’s little evidence that this technology alone can change behavior and improve health for those that need it most, according to a new online-first viewpoint piece in JAMA. The paper, written by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, the Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation, and the LDI Center for Health Incentives and

Tread lightly and don’t get too confident; winter is officially here and sidewalks are slippery. About 1 million people take a tumble every year and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 20,000 people die annually due to fall-related injuries. Additionally, falls account for approximately 15 percent of job-site accidents, adding up to almost 15 percent of all workers’ compensation costs. “Many falls can be successfully avoided or the impact minimized

At the push of a button, the gurney holding Auriel Peterson slides slowly into the pale blue glow of a magnetic resonance imaging machine. Soon, all that’s visible are the shins of her black track pants and the chartreuse-and-white soles of her running shoes, angled like the fins of a torpedo. Behind a window in an adjacent room, a splayed-out cauliflower pattern appears on a computer screen in black-and-white. It’s Peterson’s brain. And it’s probably

Women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), commonly known as Depo-Provera or the birth control shot, have a moderately increased risk of becoming infected with HIV, a large meta-analysis of 12 studies involving more than 39 500 women published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases has found. Other forms of hormonal contraception, including oral contraceptive pills, do not appear to increase this risk. Worldwide about 144 million women use hormonal contraception—around 41 million use the injectable forms

Sometimes we are so focused on our own resolutions — lose 20 pounds, save $1,000, get organized — that we forget to help our kids work on their own personal goals. Here are five resolutions for kids and ways parents can encourage them to stick to their goals: Eat more fruits and vegetables. A healthier diet is something we can benefit from at any age. In fact, it is recommended that half of your plate

Does your body need a cleanse? Then, this beet and feta lettuce wrap is for you. Beets are known for naturally cleansing the liver and purifying our blood from toxins. They may also help with improving stamina and overall well-being. Oven-roasting the beets in advance is a huge time-saver. I typically roast beets soon after I buy them. This way they are ready to go into a salad or smoothie. If you’re a beet lover

(Reuters) – Circle Holdings Plc, the first private company to run a general hospital for Britain’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS), said on Friday it was pulling out of Hinchingbrooke hospital in eastern England because it was no longer sustainable. Shares in the company were down 17.6 percent in early trade. Its decision, triggered by a crisis in the provision of emergency care across the NHS in recent months, is a blow to government plans

MONROVIA (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund is preparing $150 million in additional support to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the countries at the heart of the Ebola epidemic, the Fund’s representative in Liberia told Reuters on Thursday. “In Guinea and Sierra Leone, existing Fund financial programs are being augmented to provide more resources to these countries. In Liberia, a one-off disbursement under the Fund’s Rapid Credit Facility is being considered,” Charles Amo-Yartey told Reuters in

The tropical disease chikungunya began twisting Western tongues in July when the first locally transmitted case was reported in Florida. Spotted in the Caribbean just last year, the disease spread explosively throughout the Americas in 2014. Chikungunya’s arrival in Panama prompted Smithsonian scientists to examine how human activity spreads its mosquito vector and the serious implications this has for disease ecology everywhere. Chikungunya causes fever, fatigue and joint swelling and is transmitted by the Asian

IMAGE: This Hubble image of a crowded star field in the disk of the Andromeda galaxy shows that stars of different ages can be distinguished from one another on basis of… view more Credit: Ben Williams, PHAT collaboration A detailed study of the motions of different stellar populations in the disk of the Andromeda galaxy has found striking differences from our own Milky Way, suggesting a more violent history of mergers with smaller galaxies in Andromeda’s

GENEVA-PUNE (9 January 2015) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has opened the door to routine immunization of infants in sub-Saharan Africa by approving for use an innovative and affordable vaccine that has all but rid the meningitis belt of a major cause of deadly epidemics. In the four years since its introduction in Africa, MenAfriVac® has had an immediate and dramatic impact in breaking the cycle of meningitis A epidemics, leading the safe, effective

IMAGE: Transgenic mice (shown left, marked TG) with overexpressed levels of the Zfp516 protein gained less weight than their unaltered, wild type (WT) counterparts after both groups were fed a high-fat… view more Credit: Photo by Jon Dempersmier Berkeley — Those who overindulged during the holidays may want to get a shot of cold air to kick-start some extra fat-burning activity for the new year. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that exposure to

IMAGE: A study done with African buffalo raises significant new concerns about the effect of some health treatments at the population level. view more Credit: (Photo courtesy of Oregon State University) CORVALLIS, Ore. – A study of the effects of worming medications on infectious disease in wildlife herds showed an unexpected and alarming result – it helped reduce individual deaths from a bovine tuberculosis infection, but hugely increased the potential for spread of the disease to

BMC Endocrine Disorders 2015, 15:1 doi:10.1186/1472-6823-15-1 Published: 9 January 2015

Many people fear relationship failure. Real love makes us feel vulnerable and we tend to have fear of the unknown. Putting trust in someone can make us feel exposed. Some people even believe that the more they care about someone, the more at risk they are for being hurt. Recently, I met with Claire, a bright 28 year-old teacher who reflected “The thought of forever terrifies me, I just can’t see myself with Jake forever

BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation 2015, 7:1 doi:10.1186/2052-1847-7-1 Published: 9 January 2015

ZURICH Fri Jan 9, 2015 1:24am EST