Latest Issue

    Volume 2 Issue 2 2015

      PERSPECRTIVE

    • The wow factor as a determinant of funding for disorders of the skin

      Terence J. Ryan
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 61-68(2015)
      The wow factor as a determinant of funding for disorders of the skin
      Abstract:As people live beyond 100 years, there is an extended period of impaired quality of life for the increasing numbers of individuals with skin disorders. There is also a growing work force of fit elderly individuals who are able to provide low technology skin care and who can teach self-help if well instructed. The International Society of Dermatology’s sub-committee Skin Care for All: Community Dermatology seeks to bring together those who care for skin diseases and those who manage wounds, burns, lymphoedema and neglected tropical diseases affecting the skin for the purpose of skin care. Their focus is the repair of four functions: barrier, thermoregulation, sensory perception and communication. The curriculum includes low cost self-help and the restoration of absent skin. The care expectation is one of technical proficiency integrated with kindness and altruism. The concept is attracting wide attention but needs to develop compelling and persuasive arguments ( "wow factors" ) regarding why it should be funded. There is probably no greater wow factor than tracing the path of a severely injured patient from the battlefield through the course of immediate first aid by paramedics to the surgeon in the frontline tent who can almost guarantee survival. Seeing these disfigured persons winning trophies at the Olympic Games has garnered the admiration of millions of viewers.  
      Keywords:Skin disorders;Wound healing;Skin care   
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      Updated:2022-12-27
    • Gastrointestinal problems in modern wars: clinical features and possible mechanisms

      Wei-Feng Wang, Xiao-Xu Guo, Yun-Sheng Yang
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 69-77(2015)
      Abstract:Gastrointestinal problems are common during wars, and they have exerted significant adverse effects on the health of service members involved in warfare. The spectrum of digestive diseases has varied during wars of different eras. At the end of the 20th century, new frontiers of military medical research emerged due to the occurrence of high-tech wars such as the Gulf War and the Kosovo War, in which ground combat was no longer the primary method of field operations. The risk to the military personnel who face trauma has been greatly reduced, but disease and non-battle injuries (DNBIs) such as neuropsychological disorders and digestive diseases seemed to be increased. Data revealed that gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and noncardiac chest pain are common among military personnel during modern wars. In addition, a large number of deployed soldiers and veterans who participated in recent wars presented with chronic gastrointestinal complaints, which fulfilled with the Rome III criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). It was also noted that many veterans who returned from the Gulf War suffered not only from chronic digestive symptoms but also from neuropsychological dysfunction; however, they also showed symptoms of other systems. Presently, this broad range of unexplained symptoms is known as "Gulf War syndrome" . The mechanism that underlies Gulf War syndrome remains unclear, but many factors have been associated with this syndrome such as war trauma, stress, infections, immune dysfunction, radiological factors, anthrax vaccination and so on. Some have questioned if the diagnosis of FGIDs can be reached given the complexity of the military situation. As a result, further studies are needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disease among military personnel.  
      Keywords:Military personnel;Veterans;Gulf War syndrome;Functional gastrointestinal disorders;Irritable bowel syndrome;Diarrhea;Dyspepsia   
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      Updated:2022-12-27
    • Medical rescue of naval combat: challenge and future

      Hai Jin, Li-Jun Hou, Xiao-Bing Fu
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 78-81(2015)
      Abstract:There has been no large-scale naval combat in the last 30 years. With the rapid development of battleships, weapons manufacturing and electronic technology, naval combat will present some new characteristics. Additionally, naval combat is facing unprecedented challenges. In this paper, we discuss the topic of medical rescue at sea: what challenges we face and what we could do. The contents discussed in this paper contain battlefield self-aid buddy care, clinical skills, organized health services, medical training and future medical research programs. We also discuss the characteristics of modern naval combat, medical rescue challenges, medical treatment highlights and future developments of medical rescue at sea.  
      Keywords:Naval combat;Medical rescue challenges;Rescue highlights;Future development   
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      Updated:2022-12-27

      RESEARCH

    • Hans-Joachim Gilfrich, Lena Marie Heidelmann, Franziska Grube, Hagen Frickmann, Sven Andreas Jungblut
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 82-90(2015)
      Syncope as a health risk for soldiers: Influence of medical history and clinical findings on the sensitivity of head-up tilt table testing
      Abstract:Background:Syncope is a relevant health problem in military environments. Reliable diagnosis is challenging. Tilt table testing is an important tool for syncope diagnosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether signs such as prodromal symptoms, co-morbidity, frequency of syncopal events, body length, body mass index, and electrocardiography (ECG) abnormalities can be used to predict the success of tilt table testing at diagnosing syncope.Methods:Data from 100 patients with histories of syncope or pre-syncope, who were diagnosed using head-up tilt table testing, were retrospectively analyzed in a cross-sectional analysis. The diagnostic procedure was based upon a modified version of the Westminster protocol without any pharmacological provocation.Results:Patients showing pathological reaction patterns during tilt table testing suffered from prodromal symptoms, such as dizziness and sweating, significantly more often. The patients reported more injuries resulting from syncopal events and more previous syncopal events, and the prevalence of co-morbidity was greater among patients presenting negative findings during tilt testing. An asthenic-leptosomal physique was not confirmed as a risk factor for syncopal events as is the case for idiopathic arterial hypotension. However, patients with pathological reaction patterns during tilt table testing were significantly taller. This finding was detected for both females and males. No significant predictors were found in the ECG patterns of patients showing syncope during tilt table testing.Conclusions:Frequency of prior syncope and prodromal symptoms, and increased body length with an otherwise good state of health influence the predictive value of tilt table testing for syncope diagnosis. In particular, if these factors are present, tilt table testing should be considered part of the diagnostic algorithm for soldiers with recurrent syncope.  
      Keywords:Syncope;Head-up tilt testing;Predictor;Soldiers;Assessment;Hypotension   
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      Updated:2022-12-27
    • Neurotherapy for chronic headache following traumatic brain injury

      David V. Nelson, Mary Lee Esty
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 91-95(2015)
      Abstract:Background:Chronic headache following traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in military service, while common, is highly challenging to treat with existing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, and it may be complicated by co-morbid posttraumatic stress. Recently, a novel form of brainwave-based intervention known as the Flexyx Neurotherapy System (FNS), which involves minute pulses of electromagnetic energy stimulation of brainwave activity, has been suggested as a means to address symptoms of TBI. This study reports on a clinical series of patients with chronic headache following service-connected TBI treated with FNS.Methods:Nine veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with moderate to severe chronic headaches following service-connected TBI complicated by posttraumatic stress symptoms were treated in 20 individual FNS sessions at the Brain Wellness and Biofeedback Center of Washington (in Bethesda, Maryland, USA). They periodically completed measures including the Brief Pain Inventory-Headache (BPI-HA), previous week worst and average pain ratings, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Military version (PCL-M), and an individual treatment session numerical rating scale (NRS) for the degree of cognitive dysfunction. Data analyses included beginning-to-end of treatment t-test comparisons for the BPI-HA, PCL-M, and cognitive dysfunction NRS.Results:All beginning-to-end of treatment t-test comparisons for the BPI-HA, PCL-M, and cognitive dysfunction NRS indicated statistically significant decreases. All but one participant experienced a reduction in headaches along with reductions in posttraumatic stress and perceived cognitive dysfunction, with a subset experiencing the virtual elimination of headaches. One participant obtained modest headache relief but no improvements in posttraumatic stress or cognitive dysfunction.Conclusions:FNS may be a potentially efficacious treatment for chronic posttraumatic headache sustained in military service. Further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of FNS within a randomized, controlled clinical trial to identify the characteristics of those most likely to respond and to explore underlying mechanisms that may contribute to improvements.  
      Keywords:Chronic headache;Posttraumatic headache;Traumatic brain injury;Neurotherapy;Electroencephalograph (EEG) biofeedback;Neurofeedback   
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      Updated:2022-12-27

      REVIEW

    • Programmed cell death and its role in inflammation

      Yong Yang, Ge-Ning Jiang, Peng Zhang, Jie Fan
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 96-109(2015)
      Programmed cell death and its role in inflammation
      Abstract:Cell death plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation and may be the result of inflammation. The maintenance of tissue homeostasis necessitates both the recognition and removal of invading microbial pathogens as well as the clearance of dying cells. In the past few decades, emerging knowledge on cell death and inflammation has enriched our molecular understanding of the signaling pathways that mediate various programs of cell death and multiple types of inflammatory responses. This review provides an overview of the major types of cell death related to inflammation. Modification of cell death pathways is likely to be a logical therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases.  
      Keywords:Inflammation;Necroptosis;apoptosis;Pyroptosis;Pyronecrosis;NETosis;Autophagy   
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      Updated:2022-12-27
    • Artificially designed pathogens – a diagnostic option for future military deployments

      Andreas E. Zautner, Wycliffe O. Masanta, Rebecca Hinz, Ralf Matthias Hagen, Hagen Frickmann
      Vol. 2, Issue 2, Pages: 110-115(2015)
      Abstract:Background:Diagnostic microbial isolates of bio-safety levels 3 and 4 are difficult to handle in medical field camps under military deployment settings. International transport of such isolates is challenging due to restrictions by the International Air Transport Association. An alternative option might be inactivation and sequencing of the pathogen at the deployment site with subsequent sequence-based revitalization in well-equipped laboratories in the home country for further scientific assessment.Methods:A literature review was written based on a PubMed search.Results:First described for poliovirus in 2002, de novo synthesis of pathogens based on their sequence information has become a well-established procedure in science. Successful syntheses have been demonstrated for both viruses and prokaryotes. However, the technology is not yet available for routine diagnostic purposes.Conclusions:Due to the potential utility of diagnostic sequencing and sequence-based de novo synthesis of pathogens, it seems worthwhile to establish the technology for diagnostic purposes over the intermediate term. This is particularly true for resource-restricted deployment settings, where safe handling of harmful pathogens cannot always be guaranteed.  
      Keywords:Deployment;sequencing;Next generation sequencing;DNA shuffling;synthesis;diagnosis;Synthetic biology   
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