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Post-traumatic stress disorder is an indicator of long-term health problems, similar to biological warning signs such as elevated white blood cell counts. With an in-depth study of Vietnam vets, researchers show that PTSD leaves a distinct biological mark on a person's overall health. Considered a psychological or mental health problem, PTSD should now be viewed as a threat to a person's physical health, according to this research.

Emergency physicians suggests that screening all ER patients for carbon monoxide poisoning is a simple yet potentially life-saving practice. In the largest study of its kind, more than 14,000 patients visiting the hospital's emergency department were routinely screened for exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), a highly toxic gas that can cause brain and heart damage and even death.

Scientists have developed a new rapid, portable and inexpensive detection system that identifies personal exposures to toxic lead and other dangerous heavy metals. The device can provide accurate measurements from blood as well as in urine and saliva samples.

New research indicates that the effects of nicotine and opiates on the brain's reward system are equally strong in a key pleasure-sensing areas of the brain -- the nucleus accumbens.

Women who give birth to boys are more likely to suffer from post-natal depression and reduced quality of life. What marks this study out is that, unlike previous research, the women who took part didn't face any cultural pressures over the sex of their baby. And women reported lower quality of life following the birth of a boy, even if they didn't suffer from depression.

Topical drop application of alpha-linolenic acid led to a significant decrease in clinical signs of dry eye syndrome in animal models. ALA is a fatty acid that cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied in the diet.

Research has shown that the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT could be associated with aggressive breast cancer tumors, but there has been no explanation for this observation to date. Now a new report shows how DDT could act to disrupt hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells.

Researchers have developed a non-invasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and monitor a number of diseases, including osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration, in their early stages. The research team examined glycosaminogycans (GAGs), which are molecules that serve as the building blocks of cartilage and are involved in numerous vital functions in the human body. Mapping the GAG concentration in vivo, or in a living organism, is desirable for the diagnosis and monitoring of a number of diseases.

Researchers have discovered a possible added benefit of a novel new drug that lowers blood pressure.They found in animal studies that aliskiren not only lowered blood pressure but also significantly reduced artery-clogging lesions that are the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, the top cause of death worldwide.

Corneal grafts obtained from donors dying in the hospital or with cancer may be associated with an increased risk of infection for the recipient, according to a new report. The results provide evidence that the donor's health before death may affect their eye tissue, but do not warrant excluding broad categories of donors, the authors note.