New Research Show Promise for TBI

New period of brain 'plasticity' created with transplanted embryonic cells 03/25/2010.  UCSF scientists report that they were able to prompt a new period of "plasticity," or capacity for change, in the neural circuitry of the visual cortex of juvenile mice. The approach, they say, might some day be used to create new periods of plasticity in the human brain that would allow for the repair of neural circuits following injury or disease. University of California - San Francisco via Eurekalert!

PTSD More Common and Treatable Than Previously Thought?

Post-traumatic stress: A condition both more prevalent and more treatable than previously thought, researcher says 03/24/2010. Terry Keane, a longtime PTSD researcher and associate chief of staff for research and development at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, says researchers in recent years have learned much about post-traumatic stress, including that it is both more prevalent and more treatable than previously supposed. Harvard University via PhysOrg.com

New PubMed Articles 24 March 2010

1.

Evaluation and treatment of persistent cognitive dysfunction following mild traumatic brain injury.

Cozzarelli TA.

J Spec Oper Med. 2010 Winter;10(1):39-42.PMID: 20306413 [PubMed - in process]Related articles

2.

Measuring the Intensity of Resident Supervision in the Department of Veterans Affairs: The Resident Supervision Index.

Byrne JM, Kashner M, Gilman SC, Aron DC, Cannon GW, Chang BK, Godleski L, Golden RM, Henley SS, Holland GJ, Kaminetzky CP, Keitz SA, Kirsh S, Muchmore EA, Wicker AB.

Acad Med. 2010 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20305532 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles

3.

Randomized trial showed that an "embedded" survey strategy optimized authorization rates compared with two "after survey" strategies in veterans with PTSD.

Murdoch M, Pietila DM, Partin MR.

J Clin Epidemiol. 2010 Mar 20. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20304608 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles

4.

Ferritin levels, inflammatory biomarkers, and mortality in peripheral arterial disease: A substudy of the Iron (Fe) and Atherosclerosis Study (FeAST) Trial.

Depalma RG, Hayes VW, Chow BK, Shamayeva G, May PE, Zacharski LR.

J Vasc Surg. 2010 Mar 19. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20304584 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles

5.

Adjuvant chemotherapy use and adverse events among older patients with stage III colon cancer.

Kahn KL, Adams JL, Weeks JC, Chrischilles EA, Schrag D, Ayanian JZ, Kiefe CI, Ganz PA, Bhoopalam N, Potosky AL, Harrington DP, Fletcher RH.

JAMA. 2010 Mar 17;303(11):1037-45.PMID: 20233821 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles

6.

Integrated musculoskeletal rehabilitation care at a comprehensive combat and complex casualty care program.

Goldberg CK, Green B, Moore J, Wyatt M, Boulanger L, Belnap B, Harsch P, Donaldson DS.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Nov-Dec;32(9):781-91.PMID: 20004807 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles

7.

An analysis of the integration of chiropractic services within the United States military and veterans' health care systems.

Dunn AS, Green BN, Gilford S.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Nov-Dec;32(9):749-57.PMID: 20004802 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles

8.

Can health care databases be used to identify incident cases of osteonecrosis?

Vlad SC, Felson DT, Miller DR.

Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11(3):R89. Epub 2009 Jun 17.PMID: 19534782 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articlesFree article

Loss of Taste and Smell May be Related to TBI

Traumatic brain injury causes loss of smell and taste 03/24/2010. he ability to taste and smell can be lost or impaired after a head injury, according to a new study by scientists from the Université de Montréal, the Lucie Bruneau Rehabilitation Centre, as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal. Published in the journal Brain Injury, the investigation established that mild to severe traumatic brain injury could cause olfactory loss. University of Montreal via Eurekalert!

New Scanner to Help Predict Effects of Brain Injuries

Scans of brain networks may help predict injury's effects 03/24/2010. Clinicians may be able to better predict the effects of strokes and other brain injuries by adapting a scanning approach originally developed for study of brain organization, neurologists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

VAOIG Inspection of VA Regional Office Togus, ME

Inspection of VA Regional Office Togus, ME 03/23/2010. The VARO management team needs to improve the accuracy of disability claims processing and provide additional oversight of personnel responsible for claims identified as temporary 100 percent disability evaluations, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and disabilities related to herbicide exposure. VARO management attributed this to inadequate staff training and management oversight. Management also needs to improve controls over correcting errors identified by the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR), safeguarding of veterans’ Personally Identifiable Information (PII), handling of claims-related mail, and processing adjustments for incompetent veterans’ fiduciary claims correctly. We recommended the VARO improve oversight of the processing of temporary 100 percent evaluations to ensure staff completes required future medical examinations, correcting STAR errors timely, safeguarding veterans’ PII, and managing mail within the VSC. We also recommended the VARO provide training to Rating Veterans Service Representatives to ensure they properly assess and make competency determinations for veterans’ that require assistance to manage VA benefit payments. The Director of the Togus VARO concurred with all recommendations. Management’s planned actions are responsive and we will follow-up as required on all actions. VAOIG

New Criteria for PTSD Being Developed Under DSM-5

New DSM-5 criteria for PTSD under development. Review the draft version now. American Psychiatric Association DSM-5 Development

$3.3 Million for New Orleans VA

Secretary Shinseki Announces $3.3 Million for New Orleans 03/22/2010.  Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced the award of a $3.3 million contract by the Department of Veterans Affairs for pre-construction services for VA’s new medical center in New Orleans. VA

DoD Announces Telehealth Treatment for PTSD, TBI

Defense readies system to treat PTSD, brain injuries remotely 03/22/2010. Thousands of miles and a lack of facilities have kept the Army from providing treatment to soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder. But the Defense Department plans to deploy a solution soon that relies on a transportable telehealth system that will virtually bring doctors to patients. The portion of Iraq war soldiers suffering from PTSD is estimated to be as high as 35 percent. As a result, Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general, has pushed the service to consider using technology to provide much-needed treatment. nextgov.com

New Issue of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development

JRRD Releases Volume 47, Issue 1 03/22/2010.The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development has released a new volume and issue with topics to include VA chiropractic management, implanted functional electrical stimulation, wheelchair cushions, Cognitive Strategy Training, and more. JRRD

New PubMed Articles 21 March 2010

1.

Determinants of Medical System Delay in the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer Within the Veteran Affairs Health System.

Fisher DA, Zullig LL, Grambow SC, Abbott DH, Sandler RS, Fletcher RH, El-Serag HB, Provenzale D.

Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20238248 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles

2.

Veterans' perceptions of care by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians: A comparison from satisfaction surveys.

Budzi D, Lurie S, Singh K, Hooker R.

J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2010 Mar;22(3):170-6.PMID: 20236402 [PubMed - in process]Related articles

3.

A retrospective study of heterogeneity in neurocognitive profiles associated with traumatic brain injury.

Goldstein G, Allen DN, Caponigro JM.

Brain Inj. 2010;24(4):625-35.PMID: 20235765 [PubMed - in process]Related articles

VAOIG Review of Cincinnati VA Medical Center Cincinnati, Ohio

Combined Assessment Program Review of the Cincinnati VA Medical Center Cincinnati, Ohio 03/21/2010. The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, we provided fraud and integrity awareness training to 166 employees. The review covered seven operational activities. The medical center complied with selected standards in the following three activities: (1) coordination of care, (2) magnetic resonance imaging safety, and (3) physician credentialing and privileging. We identified the mobile health unit outreach initiative and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety Disorders Program Women’s Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program as organizational strengths. We made recommendations for improvement in the following four activities: QM, environment of care, medication management, and contracted/agency registered nurses. VAOIG

National Disabled Veterans Winter Clinic 2010

VA Kicks Off Disabled Veterans Winter Clinic 03/21/2010.  More than 400 injured Veterans have signed up to take part in the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colo., the largest adaptive event of its kind in the world, scheduled from March 28 through April 2. VA

Federal Register on Service Connection for Persian Gulf Service: Addition of 9 Infectious Diseases

Presumptions of Service Connection for Persian Gulf Service 03/21/2010. SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend its adjudication regulations concerning presumptive service connection for certain diseases. This proposed amendment is necessary to implement a decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that there is a positive association between service in Southwest Asia during certain periods and the subsequent development of certain infectious diseases.The intended effect of this proposed amendment is to establish presumptive service connection for these diseases and to provide guidance regarding long-term health effects associated with these diseases.The nine diseases are: Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), Malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid
Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus.    Federal Register

Depleted Uranium May Cause DNA Damage

Depleted and enriched uranium affect DNA in different ways 03/21/2010. Radiation is not uranium's only health concern, say researchers who report the less radioactive form of the metal can also damage DNA, but in a different way that could also lead to cancer. Meticulous research identifies for the first time how two main types of uranium – enriched and depleted – damage a cell's DNA by different methods. The manner – either by radiation or by its chemical properties as a metal – depends upon whether the uranium is processed or depleted. This study shows that both types of uranium may carry a health risk because they both affect DNA in ways that can lead to cancer.  Darolles, C, D Broggio, A Feugier, S Frelon, I Dublineau, M De Medro and F Petitot. 2009. Different genotoxic profiles between depleted and enriched uranium. Toxicology Letters. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.11.0   Environmental Health News