Inspiring Sea to Shining Sea Riders Reach Atlantic Ocean – Team of Injured Veterans Conclude Their Ride Across America

July 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The 63-day, 4,000-mile Trek Demonstrated the American Spirit and Also Helped
Others
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.–(Business Wire)–
A team of exceptional athletes, many service men and women injured while serving
in Iraq and Afghanistan, dipped their front tires and themselves in the Atlantic
Ocean Saturday at the conclusion of their cross-country trek. The core team of
17 State Farm Sea to Shining Sea bicycle riders reached their destination after
inspiring thousands all along the route which took them over three mountain
ranges, across a desert, and through America`s heartland and historic
birthplace.

In addition to the riders` extraordinary personal achievements, the signatures
of supporters who turned out to cheer them along the way generated a $100,000
donation from sponsor State Farm to Habitat for Humanity, which will fund
accessibility features in homes for veterans.

The team departed from the Golden Gate Bridge on May 22 for the inaugural bike
trek across America organized by World T.E.A.M. Sports. The goal of Sea to
Shining Sea was to honor the courage of our service men and women, recognize the
strength of the American spirit and challenge perceptions of how we view
athletes. That goal was achieved.

Air Force Sergeant and rider Marc Esposito, who was discharged from Walter Reed
Army Medical Center just one year ago after barely surviving an IED attack,
explains, “we started out a group of people hoping to ride across the country.
We became a team that realized this ride was much bigger than any of us. We rode
to inspire others to get off the couch, get back to therapy and live a life that
they love.”

The cyclists tested their physical limits daily. Several riders had
specially-designed bikes that made it possible for them to participate, some
made the trek with prosthetic limbs and others completed the grueling ride while
managing the effects of post traumatic stress and severe brain injuries.

They averaged nearly 70 miles per day in weather that ranged from snow in the
Sierra Nevada Mountains to the heat that has plagued the Midwest and East for
the past few weeks. Saturday`s temperature in Virginia Beach was a blistering
101°. Riders conquered 63 cities from San Francisco to Virginia Beach, including
Sacramento, Calif.; Denver; Lincoln, Neb.; Bloomington, Ill.; Indianapolis;
Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh; and Washington, D.C.

Through it all, the riders inspired people, disabled or not, to live active and
enriched lives by providing dramatic proof that disabled Americans can lead
productive lives and accomplish feats most people only dream about.

Sponsor State Farm, activated its agents and associates all along the route to
provide local information, helped with logistics and route planning, and rallied
folks to turn out to celebrate the riders along the way.

To see images and video from the entire ride and find out more about what the
ride meant to team members, visit s2ssbikeride.org.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is
the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State
Farm`s 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts
- more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United
States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of
companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest
companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com or in
Canadastatefarm.ca.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated
to creating soul-stirring opportunities for individuals of all abilities through
the power of sports. By bringing athletes of all cultures, with and without
disabilities together as one TEAM, World T.E.A.M. enables fully inclusive TEAMS
to accomplish goals beyond what is thought possible. World T.E.A.M. Sports
recognizes sports as the true global commonality and believes that through such
activities, the world can grow stronger and unite as powerful communities. World
T.E.A.M. Sports is more than an organization, it is a movement to change the way
the world perceives athletes.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6372008〈=en

State Farm
Melissa McKinley, 309-766-0625
melissa.mckinley.qxwl@statefarm.com
or
Weber Shandwick
Dana Metz, 312-988-2378
dmetz@webershandwick.com
or
Kaplow PR
Blair Decembrele, 646-747-3531
blaird@kaplowpr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dog bites can leave kids with emotional scars too

July 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters Health) – When animals attack, some kids might develop post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

That’s the message of a new study that followed kids in China after they came to the emergency room (ER) for animal bites – the cause of millions of injuries every year.

Some people suffer from PTSD after experiencing an event that puts them or another person in danger, such as a car accident or assault. People with PTSD often have disturbing memories and dreams of that event that may interfere with their everyday lives.

PTSD may be especially worrisome in kids, said Dr. Nancy Kassam-Adams, co-director of The Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, because it can interfere with their normal development. For example, if a child suffers from a traumatic event at the age when most kids learn to read, it’s a “bigger deal” for that child to need time to recover than it would be for an adult, she said.

In the study, Dr. Li Ji, a pediatrician at Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing and his colleagues studied 358 kids age 5-17 that came into the ER at Peking University People’s Hospital, also in Beijing, after being attacked by an animal. Most kids had dog bites, but some had been bitten by cats, rabbits, rats, or guinea pigs.

The kids got normal treatment for their bites, depending on how severe they were, including rabies vaccines, cleaning and closing the wounds, and antibiotics. The kids were also checked for symptoms of PTSD and similar conditions when they came to the ER, as well as one week later and three months later.

At their three-month check-up, 19 of the 358 kids were diagnosed with PTSD. Kids who had been hospitalized for severe bites were most at risk for the disorder – 10 out of 38 of them had developed PTSD. There was no significant difference in how often younger or older kids got PTSD, and boys and girls were diagnosed at similar rates.

The results are published today in the journal Pediatrics.

The authors didn’t compare the group of bite victims to a wider population of kids, but the finding that about 5 percent of kids who were bitten got PTSD is similar to what other studies that have found for injured kids, Kassam-Adams said.

But that number might not really reflect what all kids are going through, she said. Lots of kids will have trouble going back to normal after a traumatic event but won’t be disturbed enough to get diagnosed with PTSD.

The authors say that doctors should be aware that kids are at risk for PTSD after animal attacks, especially after severe bites.

Kassam-Adams, who was not involved with the study, said that the injury itself might not be the only thing that influences whether a kid gets PTSD – the care the kid gets afterward can play a role too.

“It’s every important what happens in that ER, and how doctors and nurses respond,” she told Reuters Health. This study, she said, “certainly speaks to the need to attend to the psychological impact of these kids of injuries.”

Ji said that the study’s findings got that message across to doctors in his hospital. “At the very beginning, some of the doctors did not understand and did not realize the importance of these (psychological) check-ups,” he told Reuters Health.

But after his team shared their results, “nearly all of the pediatric patients coming into the ER in the hospital received this check-up,” he said.

SOURCE: link.reuters.com/myq76m Pediatrics, online July 12, 2010.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

VA to Simplify Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Compensation

July 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VA Leaders to Explain New Regulation
WASHINGTON–(Business Wire)–
Media Advisory:

What: VA Acting Under Secretary for Benefits Michael Walcoff and Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert A. Petzel will announce plans to make the claims process easier for Veterans seeking compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

When: Monday, July 12 at 10 a.m.
(Camera pre-set begins at 9 a.m.)

Who: Michael Walcoff, VA Acting Under Secretary for Benefits
Dr. Robert A. Petzel, VA Under Secretary for Health
Congressman John Hall (NY-19), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, via video teleconference
Joseph Violante, Legislative Director, Disabled American Veterans
Bradley Mayes, Director, VA Compensation & Pension Service
VA mental health care providers

Where: Department of Veterans Affairs
Room 230
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20420

Dial-In: Media interested in joining by phone should dial (800) 553-0272 and ask for the “VA call.” No pass code is necessary.

Statement by Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric K. Shinseki:
“This nation has a solemn obligation to the men and women who have honorably
served this country and suffer from the often devastating emotional wounds of
war. This final regulation goes a long way to ensure that Veterans receive the
benefits and services they need.”

Background: VA is publishing a final regulation in the Federal Register to
simplify the process for a Veteran to claim service connection for PTSD. VA will
reduce the evidence needed if the trauma claimed by a Veteran is related to fear
of hostile military or terrorist activity and is consistent with the places,
types, and circumstances of the Veteran`s service.

Under the new rule, VA would not require corroboration of a stressor related to
fear of hostile military or terrorist activity if a VA psychiatrist or
psychologist confirms that the stressful experience recalled by a Veteran
adequately supports a diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran’s symptoms are related
to the claimed stressor. Previously, claims adjudicators were required to
corroborate that a non-combat Veteran actually experienced a stressor related to
hostile military activity. This final rule simplifies the development that is
required for these cases. VA expects this rulemaking to decrease the time it
takes VA to decide claims falling under the revised criteria. More than 400,000
Veterans currently receiving compensation benefits are service connected for
PTSD.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Katie Roberts, 202-461-4982
katie.roberts@va.gov
or
Drew Brookie, 202-461-5133
drew.brookie@va.gov
or
Office of Media Relations, 202-461-7600

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Exposure to traumatic event can change your DNA

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 12 (ANI): A stressful event can “get under your skin” and change your DNA, says a University of Michigan scientist.

According to Monica Uddin, a molecular epidemiologist with the University of Michigan, being in a car accident, an abusive relationship, or a war can alter a person”s DNA, reports Discovery News.

To reach the conclusion, Uddin”s team studied a group of Detroit residents with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and compared their brain chemistry to a set of non-PTSD adults.

After analyses, they found chemical tracers on DNA sequences, particularly those related to the immune system. Participants with PTSD had detectably different levels of a particular chemical than those without the disorder.

“Our findings suggest that those with PTSD have immune systems that may be in overdrive or overactive in some way,” Uddin said.

“The evidence that we were able to provide through this study is that an externally experienced traumatic event … can actually work its way under the skin and get translated into adverse physical and mental consequences,” she said.

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can show up after you”ve experienced a horrible event like abuse or a natural disaster. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sobbing Osama ex-aide demands end to police cavity search

May 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New York, May 6 (ANI): A sobbing ex-bodyguard of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has threatened to boycott his own trial if he has to undergo a cavity search every time he comes to court.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani”s lawyers say he has post-traumatic stress disorder because of how he was treated while in CIA custody.

According to the New York Daily News, Ghailani – charged with two East African embassy bombings in 1998 – freaked out last November when he was forced to get naked before a court hearing so officers at the Manhattan federal lockup could visually inspect his rear end.

He told his lawyers he would “no longer voluntarily appear in court” unless the feds promise he won”t be “humiliated” again, they wrote.

Ghailani was caught in Pakistan six years after the bombings that killed 200 people, and was held for almost five years in secret CIA prisons before being moved to Guantanamo Bay.

He was transferred to Manhattan last year to stand trial in civilian court.

Described as a master bomb-maker and one-time Bin Laden guard, he has pleaded not guilty.

Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan scheduled a hearing to review Ghailani”s request that the searches stop. He wants Ghailani to be there. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Trauma-induced changes in genes could cause post-traumatic stress disorder

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 5 (ANI): Traumatic experiences “biologically embed” themselves in select genes, subsequently alter their functions and lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a study has revealed.

Conducted by researchers at Columbia University”s Mailman School of Public Health, the study is the first large scale investigation to search for trauma-induced changes in the genes of people with PTSD.

“Our findings suggest a new biological model of PTSD in which alteration of genes, induced by a traumatic event, changes a person”s stress response and leads to the disorder,” said Dr. Sandro Galea, principal investigator of the study.

“Identification of the biologic underpinnings of PTSD will be crucial for developing appropriate psychological and/or pharmacological interventions, particularly in the wake of an increasing number of military veterans returning home following recent wars worldwide,” he added.

Previous studies have found that lifetime experiences may alter the activity of specific genes by changing their methylation patterns.

Methylated genes are generally inactive, while unmethylated genes are generally active.

In the new study, DNA samples were obtained from participants in the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study (DNHS), a longitudinal epidemiologic study investigating PTSD and other mental disorders in the city of Detroit.

The researchers analysed the methylation patterns of over 14,000 genes from blood samples taken from 100 Detroit residents, 23 of whom suffer from PTSD.

The analysis found that participants with PTSD had six to seven times more unmethylated genes than unaffected participants, and most of the unmethylated genes were involved in the immune system.

The observed methylation changes in the immune system genes were reflected in the PTSD participants” immune systems— levels of antibodies to a herpes virus were high in PTSD patients, indicative of a compromised immune system.

While people who experience severe trauma will exhibit a normal stress response, in PTSD, the stress response system becomes deregulated and chronically overactive causing compromised immune functioning.

PTSD has long been linked to increased risk of numerous physical health problems – including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study suggests why PTSD is so strongly associated with physical health problems – trauma exposure causes epigenetic changes in immune system genes and thus, compromised immune functioning putting individuals at risk for a host of disorders.

“Our findings show that PTSD may be associated with epigenetic changes in immune-system genes. If this is the case, these clusters could provide clues to our understanding of how a traumatic event changes gene expression, thus altering immune function and resulting in other possible physiologic alterations,” said Galea.

The findings are published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Childhood cancer survivors 4 times more prone to post-traumatic stress disorder

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 4 (ANI): Young adult survivors of childhood cancers are four times more likely to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than their control group siblings, revealed a study.

The Childhood Cancer Survivors Study focused on 6,542 childhood cancer survivors over 18 who were diagnosed with cancer between 1970 and 1986 and 368 of their siblings as a control group.

The study found that 589 survivors, or 9 percent, reported significant functional impairment and clinical distress as well as symptoms consistent with a full diagnosis of PTSD.

On the other hand, eight siblings, or 2 percent, reported impairment, distress and PTSD symptoms.

“Childhood cancer survivors, like others with PTSD, have been exposed to an event that made them feel very frightened or helpless or horrified. This study demonstrates that some of these survivors are suffering many years after successful treatment. Development of PTSD can be quite disabling for cancer survivors. This is treatable and not something they have to just live with,” said Dr. Margaret Stuber, a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and first author of the study.

Affected survivors reported symptoms such as increased arousal, phobias, startling easily, being hyper vigilant, avoidance of reminders of their cancer diagnosis and treatment, being on edge and suffering extreme anxiety.

They also reported that the symptoms kept them from functioning normally.

Other studies have looked for PTSD in childhood cancer survivors while they”re still children or adolescents, but the percentage reporting symptoms is far less, about 3 percent, Stuber said.

There could be several reasons for the discrepancy—today”s treatment regimens employ less toxic treatments and rely far less on whole head radiation for brain tumours, causing far less trauma to the young patients.

In addition, the improved supportive care available today could lead to fewer physical and cognitive late effects from treatment.

The survivors in Stuber”s study often underwent far harsher treatment regimens commonly used in the 1970s and early 1980s, and within the group studied, those that underwent the more toxic and damaging therapies reported more cases of PTSD.

Another possible reason that more of the young adults reported PTSD symptoms is because they”re facing the stressful situations typical for people at that age – finding a job, getting married, starting a family.

That stress may exacerbate the PTSD, said Stuber.

And because many of the patients in the study underwent harsh therapies, they often suffer from significant late effects – infertility, cognitive impairment, stunted growth. This adds to stress levels as well.

Those that suffer from cognitive impairment may find it impossible to go to college or to land a good job that earns them an adequate income.

Treatment options such as therapy and medication are available to help the survivors manage their symptoms. But addressing the issue will not be simple, said Stuber.

The study is published in the May issue of the journal Pediatrics. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psychological acupuncture can help keep food cravings at bay

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 24 (ANI): Psychological acupuncture, or the emotional freedom technique (EFT), can help reduce food cravings for up to six months in people who are overweight or obese, a new study has shown.

The technique combines gentle tapping on pressure points while focussing on particular emotions and thoughts.

Psychologist Dr Peta Stapleton, an academic title holder in Griffith University”s School of Medicine, said the technique was painless and easy to learn.

Her research also showed the impact on food cravings was almost immediate and long lasting. Food cravings significantly reduced after just four, two-hour sessions and were maintained at a six-month follow-up.

“Participants in the trial were surprised by how quickly the technique works – that it doesn”t take a lot of time to eliminate food cravings they may have had for many years,” Dr Stapleton said.

She said common cravings were for sweet carbohydrates such as cakes and chocolate or salty foods such as chips and savoury biscuits.

“Food cravings play a big role in people”s food consumption and ultimately their body weight. If we can beat the cravings without the need for willpower or conscious control of behaviour, then weight loss is also possible.”

While the study did not show any significant impact on body weight or body mass index (BMI) after six months, the results of a 12-month follow-up are still being analysed.

Dr Stapleton, who specialises in the management of eating disorders, said some participants had actually forgotten they had a previous problem with food cravings until they were reminded at the six-month follow-up.

She said because the technique helps over-ride emotional eating at a sub-conscious level, it was more likely to be effective in the long-term.

Psychological acupuncture has also been used to manage clinical issues such as post traumatic stress disorder, phobias and addictions.

The results of the study will be presented at the International Congress of Applied Psychology in Melbourne in July. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ecstasy could help ease trauma long term

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr 17 (ANI): Ecstasy pills may offer treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), say experts.

According to clinical-trial results presented at a conference in San Jose, California, the effect of the party drug seems to continue for years after the initial treatment, reports Nature.

People can develop PTSD after traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, or witnessing extreme acts of violence. Patients are plagued by flashbacks and nightmares, and often become emotionally numb and easily frightened.

Currently treatment for it includes cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft), but many people with PTSD do not respond to them.

Ecstasy, otherwise known as MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), causes the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the brain, and so could help to decrease the patient”s fear and defensiveness during treatment.

The first two preliminary human trials were conducted in the United States and in Switzerland.

“The results were very promising, and there were no safety problems or serious adverse events, but we need to replicate this,” says Michael Mithoefer, a psychiatrist based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, who led the US study.

The results were presented on Friday at the Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century conference, hosted by MAPS. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Trial delay for murder accused guard

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The trial of a British security contractor accused of killing two of his co-workers in Iraq has reportedly been postponed.

Danny Fitzsimons says he shot his co-workers Paul McGuigan and Queenslander Darren Hoare in self-defence.

He claims he shot the men during a drunken brawl and insists they both threatened him with a gun first.

His trial was meant to begin today, but officials from the criminal court in western Baghdad say it has been adjourned for another two months.

The court is reportedly still waiting for the results of Mr Fitzsimons’s psychiatric evaluation.

His lawyers claim he was suffering from post-traumatic stress at the time of the incident.

Mr Fitzsimons’s parents say he should never have been allowed to go to Baghdad.

If found guilty he could face the death penalty.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HIV risk factor for teens: Crack and cocaine use

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 1 (ANI): Teens with a history of crack or cocaine are at an increased risk for HIV than youth who have never used these drugs, claims a new study.

The study has been published in the April issue of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse.

Bradley Hasbro Children”s Research Center boffins report that teens in psychiatric care who used crack and/or cocaine at least once were six times more likely to use condoms inconsistently, which was defined as “sometimes,” “never” or “rarely.”

The findings suggest that crack cocaine appears to have more of an influence on risky teen behaviors than other factors, like alcohol and marijuana use, which are more routinely incorporated into adolescent HIV prevention interventions.

“Unprotected sex is the most common way that HIV is transmitted among teens, so if we can develop a clearer picture of why some kids engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, we will be better prepared to educate them about safe sex,” says lead author Marina Tolou-Shams, PhD, of the Bradley Hasbro Children”s Research Center. “Our findings suggest that future HIV prevention interventions should include content specific to crack and cocaine use, just as they do with drugs that are more commonly used by teens, like alcohol and marijuana.”

Overall, nearly 280 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 from therapeutic psychiatric day programs took part in the study. Participants exhibited a range of psychiatric diagnoses, including mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and disruptive behavior disorders. More than half of all adolescents were male, and more than three-quarters were Caucasian. Approximately 13 percent of teens in the study reported trying crack or cocaine at least once.

After controlling for known adolescent HIV risk factors, such as gender, race, age and psychiatric status, researchers found that only 47 percent of teens with a history of crack and/or cocaine use said they used condoms “always or almost always.” In addition, 15 percent of these adolescents have a history of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), nearly three-quarters reported using alcohol at least once and more than half indicated prior marijuana use.

In comparison, 71 percent of teens who never used crack or cocaine reported using condoms consistently. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Therapy via teleconference just as effective as face-to-face sessions

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, March 24 (ANI): A new research has suggested that obtaining therapy via teleconference is just as effective as face-to-face sessions.

“Previous studies have shown that phobia therapy via teleconferencing was just as efficient as face to face contact. We wanted to see if the process could also be used for post-traumatic stress treatment,” said Stephane Guay, a psychiatry professor at the Université de Montreal.

Until recently, telemedicine was limited to doctors using the technology to communicate with peers who would weigh-in on x-rays results or supervise a surgery.

With teletherapy, patients could theoretically consult experts from the other side of the globe.

As part of this study, 17 post-traumatic stress victims from the Outaouais region underwent 16 to 25 sessions via teleconference with Montreal therapists. A control group consisted of patients receiving face-to-face therapy.

The teletherapy participants, however, still needed to visit a hospital equipped with the necessary equipment and supervised by medical personnel.

“It would be ethically indefensible for them to stay home. Post-traumatic stress therapies require that a patient relive certain traumatic events and should they become uncomfortable it is mandatory that someone be there to intervene,” Guay said.

The teletherapy group and the control group equally benefited from their therapy.

“The same number of patients in both groups saw a significant decrease in their post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety symptoms,” said Guay.

Patients were later evaluated and none were affected by distance to their therapist and none expressed discomfort about the technological aspects of the procedure.

“In fact, comments were more in favor of tele-therapy. It seems patients appreciate a certain distance from their therapist,” Guay said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Flooding prompt call for second levee

March 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A group has been formed in Charleville to push for another levee after last week’s record flooding in Bradley’s Gully in the south-west Queensland town.

A levee on the Warrego River protects Charleville, but last week record flooding in Bradley’s Gully, which runs through the town, caused an inundation of homes and businesses.

The Charleville Levee Bank Reconstruction Group says the levee on the Warrego River should be upgraded so that it covers the gully and affords protection for residents.

Homes and businesses are still cleaning up after being inundated.

Group spokesman Geoff Bentley says people are now frightened of the rise and fall of water in the gully.

“One 83-year-old lady said to me that she was thinking of going to Toowoomba,” Mr Bentley said.

“People are concerned if there’s a shower of rain.”

“The monumental stress that is being caused to this community unnecessarily – there is much more than a physical wall that needs to be built – there is a reassurance.

“There is enormous post-traumatic stress here.”

Murweh Mayor Mark O’Brien says authorities will need to consider how to manage water in the gully sooner rather than later.

He says the option of building a levee has been discussed before.

“That’s always been one of the options, to divert the gully so it doesn’t run through Charleville,” Mr O’Brien said.

“But that has never been seen as a feasible proposition, so we just have to find an alternative about the gully and what the solution to that will be.

“We don’t know yet but we’ve obviously got to start working on that sooner rather than later.”

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘British troops face risk of massive mental health problems’

August 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Aug. 26 (ANI): British soldiers are faced with massive mental health problems due to drastic working conditions and out of date support techniques, a former Special Air Service soldier has revealed.

Ex-trooper Bob Paxman, 41, has broken the SAS vow of silence to reveal the risk soldiers face fighting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“The military have got a massive problem on their hands and they haven’t faced up to it yet. It can be anything from flashbacks, nightmares, depression or self-medication with drugs or alcohol,” said Paxman, who has set up a charity to help those suffering in silence.

His newly registered charity, Talking2Minds, uses cognitive, neuro-linguistic and time line therapies.

“It’s a huge problem and we are getting a lot of telephone calls each week from the tri-services and the blue light services,” Sky News quoted him, as saying.

Critics claim the Ministry of Defence has not provided the support troops need, especially with increasing work loads post-9/11 with action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

PTSD experts estimate one in five troops being affected and Paxman believes the military’s method of treating troops is decades out of date.

“They have certain types of counselling but these processes are basically based in the 1960s,” Paxman, who left the service after 11 years in 2000, said.

The Ministry of Defence denies their facilities are outmoded.

An MoD spokesman told Sky News Online: “The MoD takes the mental welfare of all our personnel extremely seriously and extensive measures are in place to prevent and treat mental health concerns.

For elite Special Forces soldiers revealing problems might mean being sidelined permanently.

“The worst fear everyone in the SAS has is that they’d get binned form the unit if they said something – and they probably would,” Paxman said (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Post-traumatic stress disorder linked to suicidal tendency among war veterans

August 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, August 26 (ANI): Working with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, a team of researchers have found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with an increased risk for thoughts of suicide.

Writing about their study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, the researchers have revealed that veterans who screened positive for PTSD were four times more likely to report suicide-related thoughts relative to veterans without the mental disorder.

They say that their study establishes PTSD as a risk factor for thoughts of suicide in Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

According to them, that held true even after accounting for other psychiatric disorder diagnoses, such as substance abuse and depression.

The team said that the veterans who screened positive for PTSD and two or more comorbid mental disorders were significantly more likely to experience thoughts of suicide relative to those with PTSD alone.

As many as 46 percent of veterans in the study experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviours in the month prior to seeking care, and of those veterans, three percent reported an actual attempt within four months prior to seeking the care.

The researchers said that suicide-related thoughts and behaviours discovered in a returning veteran, who has been diagnosed with PTSD, especially in the presence of other mental disorders, might suggest an increased risk for suicide. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How long-lasting memories form in the brain

August 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug 12 (ANI): A research team, led by Indian-origin boffin, has come closer to understanding how fleeting moments are sealed into life-long memories.

According to the researchers, the findings may one day help scientists develop treatments to prevent and treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Although many things are known about memories that form from repeat experiences, not much is known with regard to how some memories form with just one exposure,” said Ashok Hegde, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the lead investigator on the study.

Hegde said that scientists do know that people tend to remember extremely happy or sad occasions vividly because of the emotional connection.

Extreme emotions trigger the release of a chemical in the brain called norepinephrine, which is related to adrenaline. That norepinephrine somehow helps memories last a long time – some even a lifetime.

In the current study, Hegde and colleagues looked at how norepinephrine helps female mice remember the scent of their male partners after being exposed to it just once during mating.

The researchers studied the neural circuitry in the accessory olfactory bulb, the part of the brain where memory of the male partner’s scent is stored.

They found that norepinephrine, released in mice while mating, activates an enzyme called Protein Kinase C (PKC), specifically, the “alpha” isoform of PKC, in the accessory olfactory bulb.

The PKC enzyme has about a dozen forms, or isoforms, that exist in the brains of mammals, including humans.

“The fact that PKC-alpha is activated through the release of norepinephrine is an important discovery. It explains how strong memories form for specific sensory experiences,” Hegde said.

In female mice, the information about the partner’s scent is carried by a chemical called glutamate and the fact that mating has occurred is conveyed by the release of norepinephrine, Hegde explained.

Previous studies have found that glutamate and norepinephrine together, but not individually, cause strong memory formation for the male’s scent.

“No one knew how this happened. Our findings indicate that the PKC-alpha enzyme tells the nerve cells in the brain that these two chemicals have arrived together. PKC-alpha is like the bouncer who lifts the rope blocking the entrance to an exclusive club for strong memories when glutamate and norepinephrine arrive together. If they arrive alone, they can’t get past the velvet rope,” Hegde said.

Hegde said that when memory is stored in the brain, the connections between nerve cells, called synapses, change. Strong memories are formed when synapses become stronger through structural changes that occur at the synapse. PKC-alpha works with glutamate and norepinephrine to create those changes.

The study is available online and is scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of Neuroscience. (ANI)

Filed Under: Science News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UK Home Secretary faces flak over fresh MI5 torture allegations

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 27 (ANI): British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is likely to face legal action over allegations that MI5 agents colluded in the torture of a British former civil servant by Bangladeshi intelligence officers.

According to The Telegraph, lawyers for the British man, Jamil Rahman, are to file a damages claim alleging that Smith was complicit in assault, unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and breaches of human rights legislation over his alleged ill-treatment while detained in Bangladesh.

The claims bring to three the number of countries in which British intelligence agents have been accused of colluding in the torture of UK nationals.

Rahman says that he was the victim of repeated beatings over a period of more than two years at the hands of Bangladeshi intelligence officers, and he claims that a pair of MI5 officers were blatantly involved in his ordeal.

Rahman remains deeply traumatised, and is receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. His lawyer, Imran Khan, wrote to Smith last week putting her on notice of the intention to start roceedings. Smith and MI5 declined to comment; the Home Office said it would respond to Khan in due course. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kim Cattrall becomes national spokeswoman for ‘Beyond Tribute’

May 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New York, May 18 (ANI): Hollywood actress Kim Cattrall has become the national spokeswoman for ‘Beyond Tribute’, which aims at supporting the treatment of armed-services vets with post-traumatic-stress disorder and other neurological afflictions.

She will be featured in the public services advert, reports the New York Post.

Kim herself has British and Canadian roots, and her family has served in the military for more than four generations.

Meanwhile, Kim will be acting in the forthcoming ‘Sex and the City’ sequel. (ANI)

Filed Under: Entertainment News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kim Cattrall becomes national spokeswoman for ‘Beyond Tribute’

May 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New York, May 18 (ANI): Hollywood actress Kim Cattrall has become the national spokeswoman for ‘Beyond Tribute’, which aims at supporting the treatment of armed-services vets with post-traumatic-stress disorder and other neurological afflictions.

She will be featured in the public services advert, reports the New York Post.

Kim herself has British and Canadian roots, and her family has served in the military for more than four generations.

Meanwhile, Kim will be acting in the forthcoming ‘Sex and the City’ sequel. (ANI)

Filed Under: Entertainment News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts