Science X Newsletter Monday, Apr 4

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 4, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Nanotubes line up to form films
- Researchers develop synthetic tissue with light-activated communications
- Best of Last Week – Frozen Lake on Pluto, a portable drug making machine and impact of smoking while pregnant
- Scientists push valleytronics one step closer to reality
- New understanding of liquid-like materials to solid state transition discovered
- New state of matter detected in a two-dimensional material
- Study suggests commercial bumble bee industry amplified a fungal pathogen of bees
- Targeting two angiogenesis pathways could improve results of glioblastoma treatment
- Immune cell transforms from 'Clark Kent' to 'Superman'
- Tandem duplicate phenotype detected in triple-negative breast, other cancers
- New sensor enables first carbonate ion concentration measurements inside coral
- Study finds brain marker of poor memory in schizophrenia patients
- Climate change may threaten $2.5 trillion in assets: study
- North Atlantic played pivotal role in last great climate tipping point
- In race to improve batteries, nanotechnology provides hope

Astronomy & Space news

	Hubble peers at a distinctly disorganized dwarf galaxy Despite being less famous than their elliptical and spiral galactic cousins, irregular dwarf galaxies, such as the one captured in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image, are actually one of the most common types of galaxy in the universe. Known as UGC 4459, this dwarf galaxy is located approximately 11 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major (The Great Bear), a constellation that is also home to the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101), the Owl Nebula (M97), Messier 81, Messier 82 and several other galaxies all part of the M81 group.
	Image: Pluto's bladed terrain in 3-D One of the strangest landforms spotted by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft when it flew past Pluto last July was the "bladed" terrain just east of Tombaugh Regio, the informal name given to Pluto's large heart-shaped surface feature.
	Fast radio burst 'afterglow' was actually a flickering black hole Last February a team of astronomers reported detecting an afterglow from a mysterious event called a fast radio burst, which would pinpoint the precise position of the burst's origin, a longstanding goal in studies of these mysterious events. These findings were quickly called into question by follow-up observations. New research by Harvard astronomers Peter Williams and Edo Berger shows that the radio emission believed to be an afterglow actually originated from a distant galaxy's core and was unassociated with the fast radio burst.
	Study reveals 'topsy turvy' ocean circulation on distant planets The salt levels of oceans on distant Earth-like planets could have a major effect on their climates - according to new research from the Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of East Anglia.
	Image: A cosmic trick of the eye Stars of different masses end their lives in different ways. While truly massive stars go out in a blaze of glory, intermediate-mass stars—those between roughly one and eight times the mass of the Sun—are somewhat quieter, forming cosmic objects known as planetary nebulas.
	Researchers travel to Iceland to learn more about sand dunes on the Red Planet One day, most likely, humans will visit Mars and begin to unravel its geological history and even determine if anything once lived there.
	Image: Orion spacecraft suited crew testing Engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston are evaluating how crews inside a mockup of the Orion spacecraft interact with the rotational hand controller and cursor control device while inside their Modified Advanced Crew Escape spacesuits.
	Do we live in a special part of the universe? We've already talked about how you're living at the center of the universe. Now, I'm not going to say that the whole universe revolves around you… but we both know it does. So does this mean that there's something special about where we live?
SwRI's BORE microgravity payload flies aboard commercial suborbital spaceflight A Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) experiment designed to assess the surface properties and processes of near-Earth asteroids successfully flew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard space vehicle April 2.

Technology news

	Baked-in ad-blocking is not about to happen in Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge will not natively block ads. Microsoft has reacted to outside reports that Edge was going to acquire an integrated ad blocker.
	Combining gasification with fuel-cell technology could boost efficiency of coal-powered plants Most of the world's nations have agreed to make substantial reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions, but achieving these goals is still a considerable technological, economic, and political challenge. The International Energy Agency has projected that, even with the new agreements in place, global coal-fired power generation will increase over the next few decades. Finding a cleaner way of using that coal could be a significant step toward achieving carbon-emissions reductions while meeting the needs of a growing and increasingly industrialized world population.
	Gestures improve communication—even with robots In the world of robot communication, it seems actions speak louder than words. Scientists in the UK have discovered that by getting robot avatars to "talk with their hands," we understand them as well as we do our fellow human beings.
	In race to improve batteries, nanotechnology provides hope In the global race to create more efficient and long-lasting batteries, some are betting on nanotechnology—the use of minuscule parts—as the most likely to yield a breakthrough.
	The Twittersphere does listen to the voice of reason—sometimes In the maelstrom of information, opinion and conjecture that is Twitter, the voice of truth and reason does occasionally prevail.
	Honda recalls 160,000 Fit and Vezel vehicles in Japan Honda recalled 160,000 Fit subcompact and Vezel sport-utility vehicles in Japan on Monday because of defects in power steering and a part that controls the electric current in the vehicles. The recall does not affect any Honda models sold abroad.
	Move to OK commercial drone flights over people A government-sponsored committee is recommending standards that could clear the way for commercial drone flights over populated areas and help speed the introduction of package delivery drones and other uses not yet possible, The Associated Press has learned.
	Drone company demos how blood air-drops will work in Rwanda Drone delivery might be years away in the U.S., but it's becoming a reality in Rwanda this summer.
	Study reveals the invisible workforce serving Silicon Valley's tech industry When you hear about free gourmet lunches at Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies, the cafeteria worker might not come to mind. Or the shuttle bus drivers, janitors, security guards, and landscapers who serve the region's tech elite.
	Ski design inspired by turtle scales These alpine skis change stiffness in response to the skier's position. EPFL researchers helped develop the new skis thanks to a mechanism that mimics turtle scales.
	The 'halving' sounds like a horror story and may well turn out to be one for Bitcoin Bitcoin relies on the participation of people and organisations to act as the "bankers" of the system. Called Bitcoin miners, they effectively record each transaction on a ledger called the Blockchain and in return, they are awarded with bitcoins. The process of mining is to do a series of calculations to discover a specific number, and the first one to do so gets the reward of 25 bitcoins (valued at approximately US $10,500). In order to increase their chances, Bitcoin miners have large numbers of computers with specialised hardware that consume significant amounts of electricity. The entire Bitcoin system has been estimated to use about 350 Megawatts of electricity which is the same demand as 280,000 US homes.
	Addicted to social media? Try an e-fasting plan Social media is a double-edged sword, providing both benefits and drawbacks.
	Tesla's gamble on its 'affordable' electric car Tesla announced what it calls its "most affordable" electric vehicle in the Model 3 last week. The car can now be ordered with a deposit of A$1,500 in Australia (US$1,000 in the United States) but won't be delivered until late 2017.
	Robot spencer accompanies first passengers at Schiphol airport After three years of building and programming, the first tests using guide robot Spencer were successfully conducted at Schiphol airport this month. The test phase was completed last week. Spencer, developed in cooperation with the University of Twente, has guided KLM passengers to the right gate at Schiphol airport for the first time. The robot has access to detailed maps of the airport and laser eyes that allow it to measure distances for example.
	CRISPR dispute raises bigger patent issues that we're not talking about The worlds of science, technology and patent law eagerly await the U.S. government's decision on who deserves patents on what many have referred to as the biotechnology invention of the century: the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technique.
	Aging voting machines threaten election integrity Imagine you went to your basement and dusted off the laptop or mobile phone that you used in 2002. What would happen if you tried to turn it on? We don't have to guess. Around the country this election year, people are going into storage, pulling out computers that date back to 2002 and asking us to vote on them.
	Can I trust my robot? And should my robot trust me? If we are serious about long-term human presence in space, such as manned bases on the moon or Mars, we must figure out how to streamline human-robot interactions.
	Why lightsabers would be far more lethal than George Lucas envisioned Research is an unpredictable process. Sometimes you end up making a really cool discovery that you didn't see coming. I recently uncovered a fundamental property of lightsabers (that's right – the awesome weapons from Star Wars) while doing my regular plasma physics research. I found that, while it is in theory possible to build a lightsaber, it's likely it would be the most dangerous weapon ever created – both for the perpetrator and the victim.
	Networks of boosters could transform mobile phone signal in rural blackspots There is exponential growth in 5G mobile communication technology, which will deliver terabits of data to mobile smartphones and tablet computers every second. For users, this will mean faster file download speeds on the move, and clear uninterrupted Skype video conversations from anywhere.
	Near-shore wind farms would have big impact on coastal tourism A study by economists at North Carolina State University finds that most people are unwilling to rent vacation homes that have a view of offshore wind turbines – and that those who will rent expect steep rental discounts unless the turbines are more than eight miles offshore.
	Ailing ecommerce site Groupon gets $250 mn infusion Groupon, the daily deals ecommerce operator which has been struggling since a hot public share offering, said Monday it received a $250 million investment from a private investment fund.
	Orders for lower-price Tesla reach 276,000 (Update) Worldwide orders for the new lower-priced Tesla electric car hit 276,000 over the weekend, surprising even the company's CEO, who says it may force Tesla to open another factory.
Hardware, software tools created to debug intermittently powered energy-harvesting devices Researchers at Disney Research and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed a system for finding computer bugs in small devices that scavenge their energy from their environment and are subject to intermittent power failures.
	New insight into interaction of volcanic ash with jet engines Scientists at the University of Liverpool and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have developed a new method to assess the impact of volcanic ash on jet engines.
	Team uses 'Deep Learning' to assist overburdened diagnosticians Some 2 billion X-rays are performed around the world every year. But the average radiology clinic is understaffed. Radiologists are burdened with a growing workload, allowing little time to comprehensively evaluate images—leading to misdiagnoses and more serious consequences.
	Trump-ian move? Intel CEO plugs into power of reality TV Taking a page from Donald Trump's playbook, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich is trying to do for the chipmaker what Trump did for his political career: give it a boost by being on national TV.
	Wikimedia art database breaks copyright law: Swedish court Sweden's highest court on Monday found Wikimedia Sweden guilty of violating copyright laws by providing free access to its database of artwork photographs without the artists' consent.
Data of nearly 50 million Turks allegedly leaked online Hackers have posted a database online that seems to contain the personal information of nearly 50 million Turkish citizens in what is one of the largest public leaks of its kind.
	US tax season fuels surge in email scams As the US tax season draws to a close, authorities are warning of an alarming rise in "phishing" scams designed to steal sensitive personal and financial information.
	Toyota forms company to make technology simpler Toyota is forming a new data science company in partnership with Microsoft that's designed to free customers "from the tyranny of technology."
Brocade to buy Ruckus Wireless for about $1.2 billion Brocade said Monday that it plans to buy Ruckus Wireless for about $1.2 billion, in a deal that will help it offer Wi-Fi services to its customers.
	Google removes Afghan Taliban smartphone app Google has removed a Taliban smartphone app from its online store, the US Internet giant said Monday, countering the tech-savvy Afghan militant group's increasing efforts to boost global visibility.

Medicine & Health news

	Three glycosyltransferases identified as significant mutational targets in colon cancer Little is known about the molecular basis of aberrant protein glycosylation, a complex enzymatic process that is a hallmark of many human cancers including colorectal cancers (CRC), and how it may contribute to tumor progression. In a new study published in Scientific Reports, an online journal of the Nature Publishing Group, scientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have successfully characterized the mutational landscapes of glycosylation-associated genes in colon cancer, identifying three glycosyltransferases as significant mutational targets in CRC.
	Potential pathway for emergence of zoonotic malaria identified The parasite responsible for a form of malaria now spreading from macaques to humans in South Asia could evolve to infect humans more efficiently, a step towards enhanced transmission between humans, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers say that defining the means by which the Plasmodium knowlesi parasite invades red blood cells could lead to interventions to prevent the emergence of the zoonosis into the human population.
Study links disparities in pain management to racial bias Research has documented that black Americans are systematically undertreated for pain relative to white Americans, likely due to both the over-prescription and over-use of pain medications among white patients and the under-prescription of pain medications for black patients. Indeed, research has shown that black patients are undertreated for pain not only relative to white patients, but relative to World Health Organization guidelines.
	Genetics reveals the impact of lifestyle on evolution Scientists have long thought that the rate with which mutations occur in the genome does not depend on cultural factors. The results of a current study suggest this may not be the case. A team of researchers from France and Germany analysed more than 500 sequences of the male Y-chromosome in southern African ethnic groups living as farmers and in population groups engaged in traditional hunter-gatherer activities. The study found that the agriculturalists had a comparatively higher rate of change than the hunter-gatherers did. The researchers explain this by the significantly older average age of paternity among the agriculturalists. Furthermore, the study finds a much older age for the most recent common ancestor of the human Y-chromosome than was previously assumed.
	Aging impacts therapeutic response of melanoma cells Cancer risk increases with one's age as accumulated damage to our cells and chronic inflammation occur over time. Now, an international team of scientists led by The Wistar Institute have shown that aged tumor cells in melanoma behave differently than younger tumor cells, according to study results published in the journal Nature.
	New tool enables scientists to interpret 'dark matter' DNA Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have invented a new way to read and interpret the human genome. The computational method, called TargetFinder, can predict where non-coding DNA—the DNA that does not code for proteins—interacts with genes. This technology helps researchers connect mutations in the so-called genomic "dark matter" with the genes they affect, potentially revealing new therapeutic targets for genetic disorders.
	'Key' to recognizing and immunizing herpes, common cold Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a critical step in the immune system's recognition of DNA viruses. It's a key finding, they say, that could lead to vaccinations for herpes, the common cold or even cancer.
	Electrical stimulation of deep brain structures under the cortex could help ease chronic pain Abuse of prescription opioid medicines used to treat chronic pain has reached epidemic proportions, so much that the White House has announced new efforts to combat addiction and prevent the thousands of overdose-related deaths reported in the U.S. each year.
	Study reveals new way lungs respond in asthma attacks Scientists have discovered a new way in which the lungs operate during asthma that could lead to new treatments for the disease.
	Tandem duplicate phenotype detected in triple-negative breast, other cancers A research team led by Jackson Laboratory (JAX) President and CEO Edison Liu, M.D., have found a molecular fingerprint of some of the most deadly cancers of women: a genomic configuration described as a tandem duplicator phenotype (TDP) that is significantly enriched in triple-negative breast cancer, serous ovarian cancer and endometrial carcinomas, and that responds to a specific chemotherapy.
	Study finds brain marker of poor memory in schizophrenia patients A new study has identified a pattern of brain activity that may be a sign of memory problems in people with schizophrenia. The biomarker, which the researchers believe may be the first of its kind, is an important step toward understanding and treating one of the most devastating symptoms of schizophrenia.
Targeting two angiogenesis pathways could improve results of glioblastoma treatment Two companion papers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research teams suggest that targeting multiple angiogenesis pathways simultaneously could help overcome the resistance to anti-angiogenic treatment inevitably developed by the devastating brain tumor glioblastoma. Appearing in PNAS Early Edition, the reports describe how two different methods of inhibiting both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in animal models not only normalized tumor blood vessels to a greater extent than anti-VEGF therapy alone but also shifted the action of tumor-infiltrating immune cells from a pro-tumor to an anti-tumor state.
	Immune cell transforms from 'Clark Kent' to 'Superman' A new study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) reveals a previously unknown type of immune cell. The discovery opens new avenues in the effort to develop novel therapies for autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.
New human on chip technology permits unparalleled insight into cellular function dynamics Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development of chemical and pharmaceutical toxicity. However, current methods to evaluate mitochondrial activity still rely on traditional tests called end-point assays, which provide limited prognostic information.
	Bilingual baby brains show increased activity in executive function regions Many brain studies show that bilingual adults have more activity in areas associated with executive function, a set of mental abilities that includes problem-solving, shifting attention and other desirable cognitive traits.
	Researchers develop successful new treatment against the deadly Junin virus A team of researchers have made a discovery that could lead to the development of treatment for a deadly virus spread by rodents.
Treatment eases enlarged prostate symptom of nighttime waking An innovative interventional radiology treatment for men with enlarged prostates decreases the number of times they wake to urinate in the night, according to research presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting. Researchers said the majority of men with enlarged prostates and lower urinary tract symptoms reported better sleep that resulted in an improved quality of life after they underwent a treatment called prostatic artery embolization (PAE).
Certain type of training can improve driving skills of older adults Older drivers can see their driving abilities improve by participating in certain types of training that improves the brain's processing speed and how the mind reacts when attention is divided, according to a new study by a researcher from the University of South Florida and colleagues from several other universities.
	Six new studies point to red raspberry's potential anti-inflammatory properties A flurry of new research on red raspberries is set to be presented this week at the 2016 Experimental Biology conference in San Diego. Initial findings from six animal model studies reveal the potential effects of red raspberry consumption on cardiovascular disease risk reduction, maintaining normal blood glucose levels and liver function as well as potential anti-inflammatory effects related to bone health.
Bypass boosts survival in heart failure, 10-year study says Heart failure patients with clogged arteries have a better chance of surviving 10 years if they get bypass surgery plus medicine rather than just drugs alone, according to an international study.
	Tomatoes may combat the damaging effects of radiation A team of researchers from have discovered that lycopene—the red pigment in tomatoes—is extremely successful at guarding against the harmful effects of radiation.
	Neuroscientist finds potential new source for pain inhibition A UT Dallas scientist has found a new neurological mechanism that appears to contribute to a reduction in pain.
	The search for early markers of Alzheimer's Disease This eloquent quote by V.S. Ramachandran expresses the feelings of many of the people around the world who are celebrated Brain Awareness Week (#BAW2016), which occurs annually in March. This global campaign strives to inform the public about the marvels science has discovered about the brain and the benefits this research holds for all of us. Alongside enlightening discoveries about how the brain shapes our understanding of the world, researchers use various methods to improve diagnostics, and locate the causes and develop cures to brain diseases.
	Psychotic disorders in minority groups: the high price of being an 'outsider' Immigrant groups experience a high incidence of mental illness. Hannah Jongsma (Department of Psychiatry) is looking at data from an international study of the distribution of psychotic disorders. She suggests that 'psychosocial disempowerment' might be a powerful contributing factor to raised levels in minority communities.
	Public missing out on a night's worth of sleep every week The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has warned that the UK public is under-sleeping by an average of almost an hour every night – which amounts to losing an entire night's sleep over the course of a week. The report was prepared with the help of Oxford University expertise. As a result, RSPH experts are calling for the introduction of national sleep guidance time – 'a slumber number' – to help inform the public about the critical importance of sleep to health and wellbeing.
	Researcher advances PET imaging technology to improve response to cancer treatment A promising new discovery by UCLA scientists could lead to a new method of identifying cancer patients that express high levels of an enzyme and are more likely to respond to cancer treatments.
Bone density in kids on ADHD stimulants should be monitored Stimulants commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children are associated with low bone density, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The finding suggests that the bone health of children prescribed these medications should be monitored, since decreased bone density during childhood and early adulthood poses a greater risk for developing osteoporosis later in life.
	Australia making no progress to prevent obesity, alcohol harm Australia's investment in life-saving health promotion programs now lags well behind many other comparable Western countries, public health experts say.
	Pharmacologist's apparatus models how drugs move through the body Andrew Holt looks at ADAM with great affection and pride in his eyes. In return, ADAM, standing in a corner, stares back with a great loopy grin, seemingly pleased with how far he's come in just a short time.
	Subconcussions cause changes to brain, study of college football players shows The average college football player receives about 1,000 head impacts each season. Some of these hits result in concussions – traumatic head injury that results in short-term, and possibly even long-term, damage to brain function.
	How mind-controlling parasites can get inside your head Imagine that pesky tabby cat has been pooing in your backyard again. Unbeknown to you, it has transferred some of the parasite spores it was carrying onto your herb garden. Unintentionally, while preparing a tasty salad, you forget to wash your hands and infect yourself with the Toxoplasma gondii spores. For months you display no symptoms, then after six months you are driving your car more aggressively, taking chances in road junctions and generally filled with more road rage as you angrily gesticulate with fellow drivers. Could all this be linked to that tasty salad?
	Magnesium treatment for genetic coagulation disorder An international team of scientists was able to demonstrate in mouse and patient studies, how magnesium affects the production of blood platelets and that the TRPM7 channel function plays a key role in this process. Scientists of the Rudolf Virchow Center and the Hospital of the University of Würzburg were primarily involved in this study. Their results were published in the current journal Nature Communications.
	Transporter protein involved in renal reabsorption of cystine Cystinuria occurs in one out of every 7,000 in the world, one out of every 10,000 -20,000 in Japan, but its curative treatment has not been established. AGT1/SLC7A13, a protein, is an unknown factor that binds with the protein rBAT/SLC3A2, of which mutations may cause cystinuria leading to serious kidney failure.
No improvement in clinical outcomes with ischemic postconditioning A large randomized controlled trial of ischemic postconditioning in patients who had experienced the deadliest form of heart attack—ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—failed to show that this procedure significantly reduces death from any cause or hospitalization for heart failure, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
IV beta blockers before angioplasty are safe, but offer no clinical benefit Giving intravenous beta blockers before performing a coronary angioplasty in patients who had experienced the deadliest form of heart attack—ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—was safe but did not reduce heart attack severity or improve blood flow from the heart's main pumping chamber, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Newly discovered clues to the cause of chemoresistance in small cell lung cancer Small cell lung cancer is not usually detected until it is at an advanced stage, when metastases have already formed. Chemotherapy is very effective initially but, within a year, cancer recurs and this time does not respond to a course of chemotherapy. The research group headed by Gerhard Hamilton, University Department of Surgery at MedUni Vienna, has now managed to identify the reason for this chemoresistance. The group's results have recently been published in the journals "Cell Adhesion and Migration" and "Trends in Cancer".
International technology-based competition associated with more exercise A competition that used technology to encourage and track physical activity was effective at helping participants lose weight and exercise more in both developed and developing countries, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Doctors don't talk to their patients about sexual health. Here's why they should Think back to the last time you had a checkup with a doctor. He or she might have asked you about how often you exercise, how well you sleep and whether you drink or smoke. But does your doctor ask you about sex?
Study supports broader use of statins in intermediate-risk populations Lowering cholesterol with statins significantly reduced adverse cardiovascular events in people with average cholesterol and blood pressure levels who were considered to be at intermediate risk for heart disease, while the use of blood pressure-lowering medications was beneficial only in those with higher blood pressure levels, according to three separate reports from the large HOPE-3 trial presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Common flame retardant chemical disrupts a hormone that is essential to life Brominated fire retardants, used in many consumer products and known to cause hormonal irregularities, overstimulates an adrenal gland hormone in a way that may lead to the development of cardiovascular disease, new research in human cells finds. Researchers will present their study results Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
Anabolic steroid abuse is associated with increased systolic hypertension risk Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse is associated with severe blood pressure (BP) increase and hypertension, new research reports. The results of the study will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Researchers report successful cardiac transplant outcomes in adult patients with congenital heart disease Congenital heart disease, which includes various conditions involving defects in the structure of the heart or blood vessels that develop before birth, affects nearly 1 percent of children - about 40,000 babies each year. Though many of these conditions were once fatal in infancy and childhood, surgeries and other treatments have evolved during the past few decades, and some 800,000 adults have now grown into adulthood with these conditions. In time, however, these patients commonly develop heart failure, which is the leading cause of death in those with adult congenital heart disease.
Salmonella-based oral vaccine a promising therapy for preventing type 1 diabetes A combined vaccine therapy including live Salmonella is a safe and effective way to prevent diabetes in mice and may point to future human therapies, a new study finds. The results will be on Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
For post-operative atrial fibrillation, two common treatments show equal outcomes Cleveland Clinic researchers, as part of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN), have found that two common approaches to post-operative atrial fibrillation - rhythm control and rate control - are equally safe and effective.
Researchers find similar outcomes for patients with severe aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replac Nearly 1.5 million Americans have aortic stenosis (AS), the narrowing of the aortic valve opening which restricts blood flow to the aorta. Historically, patients have been treated with open-heart surgery, although recent research has suggested that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be a better, less invasive treatment option for some high-risk patients. In this first randomized clinical trial for intermediate-risk patients with severe, symptomatic AS, conducted by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with Edwards Lifesciences, the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and 56 center across the United States and Canada, investigators found that TAVR with SAPIEN XT resulted in similar two-year clinical outcomes, as compared to surgical aortic valve replacement. The study - the PARTNER II Trial - was presented today at the American College of Cardiology 65th Ann! ual Scientific Session in Chicago and simultaneously published online in The New England Journal of Medicine.
SSRI antidepressants promote bone loss during lactation Antidepressant use with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy and breast-feeding causes decreased bone density in mothers that may put them at higher risk of broken bones later in life, a new study suggests. Researchers will present the results of their animal study Friday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
Researchers find transcatheter aortic valve replacement better for patients with severe aortic stenosis Aortic stenosis (AS), the narrowing of the aortic valve opening which restricts blood flow to the aorta, afflicts nearly 1.5 million people in the United States, with approximately 500,000 of them suffering severe aortic stenosis. While open-heart surgery has historically been the recommended treatment for AS, some patients at high or extreme risk are not considered good candidates. Today, new data demonstrates that for patients at intermediate-risk for open-heart surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the latest generation of balloon-expandable device - SAPIEN 3 - is superior to surgery, resulting in better patient outcomes. This study, conducted by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with Edwards Lifesciences, the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and 50 centers across the United States and Canada, was presented today at the American College of Cardiology 65th Annual Scientific Session in Chicago and simultaneously published online in The Lancet.
Aromatase inhibitors plus growth hormone may help short adolescent boys grow taller Aromatase inhibitors, when used for up to three years in combination with growth hormone, may effectively and safely help very short adolescent boys grow taller, new research suggests. The study results will be presented Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston.
	How ballet training could learn from football and rugby, says report A new study from the Universities of Bath and Bristol (UK) suggests that current practices for grouping and evaluating young dancers in ballet could be counterproductive, potentially placing late maturing girls at a significant disadvantage during important phases of their development and at greater risk for injury.
In some men, taking testosterone while dieting may help lose fat, not muscle In obese middle-aged men, losing weight while dieting normally depletes both fat and muscle. But adding testosterone treatment may help them lose only fat and retain their muscle, new research suggests. The study results will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Trial offers objective evidence of muscle-related side effects with statins The first major clinical trial to include a blinded, placebo-controlled "statin re-challenge" in patients with a history of muscle-related side effects sheds new light on statin-associated muscle symptoms, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session. The trial also demonstrates that monthly self-injection of the relatively new non-statin cholesterol-lowering drug evolocumab reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol to a greater extent than ezetimibe, a traditional drug used in statin-intolerant patients.
Anti-inflammatory drug does not reduce risk of major CV events following heart attack Michelle L. O'Donoghue, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues evaluated the efficacy and safety of the anti-inflammatory drug losmapimod on cardiovascular outcomes in patients hospitalized after a heart attack. The study was published online by JAMA, and is being released to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session & Expo.
Tool to engage patients with chest pain in care decisions shows benefits Patients visiting a hospital emergency department with chest pain who engaged with their physician in shared decision-making using a tool called Chest Pain Choice showed improved knowledge of their health status and follow-up care options compared with patients who received standard counseling from a physician without the use of this decision aid, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Treating myasthenia gravis with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants A report on seven cases of severe myasthenia gravis (an autoimmune disease characterized by severe muscle weakness) suggests that autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (when a patient's own stem cells are used) may result in long-term remission that is symptom and treatment free, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.
How is the quality of care in a commercial virtual visit? Quality of care varied among commercial virtual visit companies where patients used websites to request consultations with physicians they have never met via videoconference, telephone or web chat, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Reasons reported by children, youth for being on the streets Poverty was the most common reason reported by children and youth, globally, for why they were on the streets, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
Fentanyl patch prescribing still not safe in 50 percent of prescriptions Although prescribing of the fentanyl patch has improved, physicians are still failing to adhere to safe prescribing guidelines, with half of new prescriptions being written for people who have not had the required previous opioid exposure, found new research from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Liraglutide may help nondiabetic overweight and obese adults lose weight and lower risks For people with prediabetes who are overweight or obese, adding 3.0 mg of liraglutide for three years to a diet and exercise plan may lead to major health improvements, new industry-sponsored research suggests. The results will be presented Monday, April 4, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Deferred stenting shows no clinical benefit Delayed or deferred stent implantation in patients experiencing the deadliest form of heart attack—ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—failed to reduce death from any cause, hospitalization for heart failure, subsequent heart attacks or the need for a repeat procedure to restore blood flow to the heart, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
US prediction models for kidney injury following angioplasty hold up in Japan Models developed by the American College of Cardiology NCDR CathPCI Registry to predict the likelihood of angioplasty patients developing acute kidney injury and acute kidney injury requiring dialysis have proven to be effective among patients in Japan. This finding suggests these models may have international application as a preventive tool, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Mindfulness-based eating awareness helps adolescents eat healthier foods, be more active Some of the simplest, safest lessons to help adolescents combat obesity may be raising their awareness of what they are eating and whether they are even hungry, researchers say.
New study describes altered brain activity in response to desirable foods Understanding the motivations that drive humans to eat is an important consideration in the development of weight loss therapies. Now a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) helps explain how the diabetes and weight loss drug liraglutide acts on brain receptors to make enticing foods seems less desirable. The findings were recently presented at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, and will appear in the May issue of the journal Diabetologia.
New app improves treatment of atrial fibrillation Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke. Treatment with oral anticoagulation reduces this risk but instead increases the risk of bleeding. Today, a new blood test based tool enabling better and more individualized stroke prevention treatment is presented at a congress in Chicago, and simultaneously published in the top-ranked medical journal The Lancet.
	Inaccurate life expectancy in CA not usually from medical source (HealthDay)—Most patients with advanced cancer are inaccurate in their life expectancy estimates (LEEs), and the source of that information typically is not a medical provider, according to a study published online March 29 in Cancer.
	Renal function key to cardiac outcome in statin-treated CHD (HealthDay)—For statin-treated patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), stabilization or improvement in renal function is associated with a reduced rate of major cardiovascular events (MCVEs), according to a study published in the April 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Are guidelines needed to assess competence of aging physicians? (HealthDay)—The question of whether national guidelines need to be developed for assessing the competence of aging physicians was discussed during a recent meeting of key stakeholders, according to a news release from the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Treatment guidelines lacking for molluscum contagiosum in HIV-positive (HealthDay)—High-quality studies are lacking in assessing interventions for molluscum contagiosum (MC) in HIV-positive patients, according to a review published online March 18 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
	Study suggests Yelp reviews can enhance government reports on hospital quality Yelp reviews of hospitals cover topics not found in the federal government's survey of patients' hospital experiences, according to the results of a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The additional information, which the authors say tends to be strongly linked to positive or negative reviews from Yelp contributors, could influence patient decision making on where to receive hospital care, and provide valuable information to hospital administrators, caregivers, and policymakers. The study is published today in the April issue of Health Affairs.
	Shorter, intensive radiation can be recommended in early prostate cancer Giving early-stage prostate cancer patients a slightly higher daily dose of radiation can cut more than two weeks from the current treatment regimen without compromising cancer control, according to a national study led by a Duke Cancer Institute researcher.
	Colonoscopies and mammograms top list of 'most-shopped' health care services Colonoscopies, mammograms, and childbirth services are the most searched-for medical services when it comes to cost information—and millennials with higher annual deductible spending are the most frequent comparison shoppers—according to an analysis of a large national health insurance plan database by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Value-based insurance plan boosts employee use of targeted preventive services, reduces ER visits One state's employee insurance program designed to improve health while reducing costs has successfully encouraged more use of screenings and preventive services, increased medication adherence for chronic conditions, and reduced visits to the emergency department.
	Consumers reveal obstacles to using nursing home quality ratings A study of dozens of people who placed a relative or friend in a nursing home in the previous six months found that few people were aware of the Nursing Home Compare website, published online by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help families find the best and closest available care facility.
	NIH doctors describe severe case of Ebola virus disease For more than a month in 2015, a multidisciplinary team including infectious disease and critical care physicians and nurses, respiratory therapists and other specialists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) treated a critically ill patient who had contracted Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone. A new report by the medical caregivers details the clinical course of the 34-year-old American healthcare worker who was admitted to the NIH Special Clinical Studies Unit on day 7 of his illness. The patient survived his illness with intensive supportive care, despite multi-organ failure.
Medical and drug device companies target nurses to influence hospital purchasing decisions Hospital based nurses have high levels of contact with pharmaceutical and medical device industry sales personnel but have little corporate or professional guidance about managing purchasing decisions in the context of these interactions, a new study in Annals of Internal Medicine reveals.
	To treat a leading cause of osteoporosis, surgery is better than widely used medications While most cases of osteoporosis are caused by normal aging, another leading cause of the bone-loss disease is a condition called hyperparathyroidism, in which the parathyroid glands release an excessive amount of a hormone that regulates the body's calcium levels.
	New immune-stimulating drug, with chemo, shrinks pancreas tumors The results of an early-stage (phase 1b) clinical trial for pancreatic cancer show that an experimental therapy can control tumors well enough to make some patients eligible for surgery, according to data published in The Lancet Oncology by a Wilmot Cancer Institute investigator.
	Cell therapy may mend damaged hearts, study says End-stage heart failure patients treated with stem cells harvested from their own bone marrow experienced 37 percent fewer cardiac events - including deaths and hospital admissions related to heart failure - than a placebo-controlled group, reports a new study. Results from ixCELL-DCM, the largest cell therapy trial for treating heart failure to date, will be presented at the 2016 American College of Cardiology annual meeting and published online in The Lancet on April 4.
New syndrome named, causes a rare intellectual disability Pediatric researchers, using high-speed DNA sequencing tools, have identified a new syndrome that causes intellectual disability (ID). Drawing on knowledge of the causative gene mutation, the scientists' cell studies suggest that an amino acid supplement may offer a targeted treatment for children with this condition.
New study challenges scientific dogma on how the brain generates actions It would certainly be pretty strange to see someone trying to call an elevator by pressing the button using their nose, or elbow. But actually why not? Anyone who has ever asked a young child to call the elevator knows very well that using their pointing finger wouldn't necessarily be their first choice, nor the second for that matter ... How does it happen? How does the brain choose the optimal action to achieve a goal and then repeats it to the point where it becomes a deeply ingrained habit that we perform without reflection?
	Heart failure patients have improved outcomes following investigational stem cell treatment An investigational stem cell therapy derived from patients' own blood marrow significantly improved outcomes in patients with severe heart failure, according to a study from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.
Watch what you eat: The dangers of a bristle in your burger Research published today in the April 2016 edition of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery examines the incidence of injuries caused by ingesting wire bristles from grill brushes, and prompts physicians and consumers to take notice before the summer grilling season.
Final stampede results: Glycemic benefits of bariatric surgery persist over time In the final, five-year follow-up report from the influential STAMPEDE trial, Cleveland Clinic research shows that bariatric surgery's beneficial effects on blood glucose control in mild and moderately obese patients with type 2 diabetes may persist for up to five years, with the advantage over diabetes medications-only approach widening over time.
	Vitamin D improves heart function, study finds A daily dose of vitamin D3 improves heart function in people with chronic heart failure, a five-year University of Leeds research project has found.
Rate, rhythm control equally effective in post-operative atrial fibrillation In the first large randomized trial to directly compare two approaches to preventing a type of abnormal heart rhythm that is the most common complication of heart surgery, the two strategies—controlling heart rate and controlling heart rhythm—performed equally well, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Precision medicine brings new hope to those with advanced urothelial cancer Five of six patients with advanced metastatic urothelial cancer and at least one of two specific genetic abnormalities, responded to treatment with afatinib, which was approved in 2013 by the Food and Drug Administration for patients with lung cancer, researchers report online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
No benefit from addition of aliskiren to 'gold standard' ACE inhibitor In one of the largest trials ever conducted in patients who have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction—a measure of the heart's ability to pump blood—the investigational drug aliskiren failed to show superiority over full-dose treatment with the existing "gold standard" therapy, the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Trial drug ineffective in preventing contrast-induced kidney injury Patients treated with CMX-2043—an investigational drug that has previously shown some ability to protect heart muscle from damage during stenting—saw no improved protection in their kidneys compared to placebo, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Stem cell therapy improves outcomes in severe heart failure A new stem cell therapy significantly improved long-term health outcomes in patients with severe and end-stage heart failure in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Report reviews 10 years of shared decision making at Massachusetts General Hospital The health care system has come a long way from the "doctor knows best" approach of decades ago, and the importance of involving patients in decisions about their medical care - particularly in situations when there is more than one treatment option - is broadly acknowledged. At Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a formal Shared Decision Making Program was instituted in 2005 to provide decision aids - booklets, videos and online resources - to patients to help them learn about their options and participate in decisions about their care.
Two atrial fibrillation ablation techniques equal on efficacy and safety Two established techniques for correcting the root cause of the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation show similar effects and safety outcomes, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
A chink in the armor of breast cancer cells Working with human breast cancer cells, a team of scientists from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago have successfully turned off a misbehaving protein that fuels the growth of a particularly aggressive, drug-resistant form of the disease known as triple-negative breast cancer.
New device for heart failure patients fails to improve primary outcomes A new implantable medical device intended to help patients with heart failure by stimulating the vagus nerve did not significantly reduce rates of heart failure-related hospitalization or death from any cause in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
UCI personalized ratings app may improve patient's choice of nursing home A new app created at the University of California, Irvine can improve a patient's choice of a nursing home. This is important, because when rating quality measures for nursing homes, patients and experts at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) usually don't agree on what is best, leading UCI researchers to conclude that patients may benefit from a more personalized approach to choosing a nursing home.
No improvements with losmapimod after heart attack Patients taking losmapimod, an anti-inflammatory drug currently being developed, for 12 weeks following a heart attack did not show improvements in the trial's primary endpoint, the rate of cardiovascular death, subsequent heart attack or urgent coronary revascularization, which includes placement of a stent or coronary artery bypass surgery, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Device that detects congestion in the lung improves heart failure outcomes In patients with heart failure, use of an investigational device that monitors the accumulation of fluid in the lungs appeared to cut heart failure-related hospitalizations by more than half, meeting the study's primary endpoint, and reduced deaths from any cause by 39 percent per year compared with standard assessment and treatment, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Mixed results on benefits of antiarrhythmic drugs for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest Paramedics often give heart rhythm stabilizing drugs to patients who are suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest when they fail to regain a stable heart rhythm after electrical shock treatment. In a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session, these drugs, specifically amiodarone and lidocaine, did not significantly improve such patients' likelihood of surviving to hospital discharge overall. However, among patients whose cardiac arrest was witnessed by a bystander, those who received either amiodarone or lidocaine during resuscitation had a 5 percent greater chance of survival to hospital discharge compared with those who received a placebo, which was a statistically significant difference. Witnessed cardiac arrests represented more than half of the study's population.
	Sensory interventions can benefit patients with dementia (HealthDay)—For patients with dementia, there are many available sensory interventions that seem to have significant effects, according to a review published online March 31 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Long-term weight loss cuts diabetes-related brain changes (HealthDay)—A long-term weight loss intervention may reduce the impact of diabetes on brain structure, according to a study published online March 29 in Diabetes Care.
	Intraarterial chemo + radiation may up cerebral infarctions (HealthDay)—Intraarterial chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer is tied to a higher incidence of cerebral infarction, compared to intravenous CRT, according to a study published online March 25 in Head & Neck.
	Increasing radiation dose ups freedom from biochemical fail (HealthDay)—For patients with prostate cancer (PCa), increasing biologically equivalent dose (BED) of external radiation therapy (RT) is associated with freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF), but not with improvement in overall survival (OS), distant metastasis (DM), or cancer-specific mortality (CSM), according to research published online March 24 in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Discovery of CTLA-4 in dendritic cells opens new possibilities to fight cancer T cells are the 'foot soldiers' that fight cancer inside the body. Cancer cells can fight the foot soldiers back by pushing a brake on the T cells that will turn them off. This 'brake' is a molecule on the surface of T cells called CTLA-4. Until now, most scientists agreed that CTLA-4 was only present on T cells and other cells of the same lineage. But Baylor College of Medicine researchers have discovered that CTLA-4 is also produced and secreted by dendritic cells, which are the 'generals' of the T cells in the battle against cancer. The results appear in Stem Cells and Development.
Philippines launches world's first mass dengue vaccination The Philippines on Monday launched the first public immunization program for dengue fever, seeking to administer to a million schoolchildren the world's first licensed vaccine against a mosquito-borne disease that the World Health Organization estimates infects 390 million people a year globally.
	In West, region of guns and suicide, outreach to curb deaths Keith Carey is a gunsmith in Montrose, a town with a frontier flavor set amid the rocky mesas of western Colorado. He's a staunch, though soft-spoken, defender of the right to bear arms.
New push to keep seniors in home, community-based programs The federal government is pushing states to keep more low-income seniors out of nursing homes and, instead, enroll them in home and community-based programs.
Evacetrapib fails to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events Despite lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as "bad" cholesterol, while markedly increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, a large clinical trial to investigate the cholesterol drug evacetrapib was discontinued early after a preliminary analysis showed it did not reduce rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
Mechanical ventilation as aggravating factor in lung failure Mechanical ventilation can contribute to lung damage by inducing rapid changes in oxygen levels. Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna are now conducting studies for the first time into the significance of these changes as aggravating factors in lung failure.
The forgotten health crisis Sexual and reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of death and disability among women, worldwide. In times of crisis, assault, violence and ill-health increase, yet all-too-often these issues are ignored. New research by PhD candidate Kristen Beek is set to improve how aid workers in crisis zones prevent sexual and gender-based violence and promote better maternal and newborn health.
Early childhood antibiotics may change gut microbes and lead to adolescent prediabetes Young children who take antibiotics may disrupt their gut's microbial ecosystem and be more likely to develop prediabetes in adolescence, new research from Greece reports. The study results will be presented in a poster Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Few patients use weight-loss medications despite FDA approval Despite guidelines that advocate the use of weight loss medications to treat obesity, and the availability of FDA approved medications, very few patients use this treatment option, a new study suggests. The results will be presented Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
New procedure could improve success rate of cell transplant to cure type 1 diabetes New research suggests pretreating cells with a peptide hormone may improve the success rate of pancreatic islet cell transplants, a procedure that holds great promise for curing Type 1 diabetes. The results will be presented Saturday, April 2, at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, ENDO 2016, in Boston.
Pituitary insufficiency is prevalent after blast concussion in military veterans A study in military veterans finds that explosive blast-related concussions frequently result in hormone changes leading to problems such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression and poor quality of life. The research, to be presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston, evaluated hormone levels in 41 male veterans who had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Rates of death and stroke equivalent for surgery and TAVR at 2 years Intermediate-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis who receive minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement, known as TAVR, have similar rates of death and disabling strokes after two years compared with those undergoing standard open heart surgical replacement, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session. Patients receiving TAVR also experienced shorter hospital stays and lower incidence of some major complications compared with those undergoing surgery.
Higher volume of TAVR boosts key in-hospital outcomes The more frequently a hospital performs a minimally invasive technique called transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, to replace a damaged aortic heart valve, the better patients fare, on average, immediately after the procedure, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
SAPIEN 3 improves outcomes for major endpoints at one year Intermediate-risk patients who received transcatheter aortic valve replacement, known as TAVR, with the latest-generation valve fared better than patients receiving traditional surgical aortic valve replacement after one year, in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Family plays important role in heart health throughout life Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the burden is increasing - much of which could be reduced through modifiable risk factors.
Efmoroctocog alfa for hemophilia A: Added benefit not proven Efmoroctocog alfa (trade name: Elocta) has been approved since November 2015 for people with type A haemophilia. This is an inherited disorder that impairs blood clotting. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy both in prevention and in on-demand treatment. Such an added benefit cannot be derived from the dossier, however, because it contained no study data adequate for the research question.
Gilead paying up to $1.2B for Nimbus unit, drug candidate Biologic drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc. said Monday that it will buy a subsidiary of Nimbus Therapeutics LLC and its experimental pill for an increasingly common metabolic disorder that causes life-threatening fat buildup in the liver.
Surgery residency program directors believe flexible duty hours improve continuity of care Directors of general surgery residency programs believe that flexible work hour schedules for surgeons in training (residents) improve the continuity of patient care as well as resident training without compromising patient safety. These perceptions are the findings of a survey conducted in conjunction with the Flexibility in Duty Hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees (FIRST) Trial, a landmark multicenter randomized controlled study that examined the effects of allowing surgical residents to work more flexible hours than currently required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Engaging patients and the public with health care evidence At a time when public health agencies and health care providers are striving to make health care and health policy decisions on the basis of evidence, it is important for patients and the public to engage with the production, consumption and evaluation of evidence too. But such engagement is challenging, write Hastings Center scholars in the April issue of Health Affairs, because "evidence alone is never definitive," People will prioritize different values, and weigh risks and benefits differently.
Cancer research shows promise for combating deadly lung cancer A study by researchers at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has found that blocking the blood supply of small cell lung cancer tumors may help reduce their growth and delay the regrowth process after treatment. Small cell lung cancer is considered the most lethal of all lung cancers.
	CDC hosts zika action plan summit (HealthDay)—More than 300 public health experts attended the Zika Action Plan Summit, hosted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta on Friday. The summit was held to help ensure a coordinated response to the mosquito-borne illness.
Penn Nursing editorial: Deeper insight needed into nurse-industry relationships Nurses' daily responsibilities are broad, including interacting with patients, families and communities; gatekeeping between their patients and the industries and healthcare institutions that serve them; and collaborating with those industries in relation to speaking, consulting and participating in marketing research. While it is imperative that nurses interact with industry to advance knowledge, improve healthcare delivery and enhance outcomes, do these interactions create ethical concerns that could challenge or change the trusting relationship between nurse and patients?
Modest payment increase for Medicare Advantage in 2017 Medicare says private insurance plans serving as an alternative for 17 million beneficiaries will get a modest payment increase next year.

Biology news

	An ancient retrovirus has been found in human DNA – and it might still be active Striking evidence has emerged that an ancient virus previously known only from fossil evidence has persistently infected some humans at very low levels for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. This ancient retrovirus is a kind of living fossil, and the discovery of an intact copy of it within the human genome poses questions as to how it has survived, and suggests others from the distant evolutionary past may lie dormant in the DNA of many species.
	Study details defects in neurons associated with hereditary spastic paraplegia A study by Rice University biochemists has revealed specific defects in nerve cells that arise from two genetic defects known to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP).
Scientists publish the first RNA interactome of the human nucleus Studying sequence and function of DNA has been in the focus of life sciences for decades, but now the interest of many researchers has turned to the RNA. Today, many scientists believe that RNA molecules, together with a variety of different proteins, play a regulatory or structural role in virtually all cellular processes. However, the mechanisms underlying these RNA-protein interactions are still largely unknown. A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin has now successfully identified hundreds of proteins that interact with RNA molecules in the nucleus of human cells. The researchers present the first RNA interactome of a human nucleus and describe how they have identified the bulk of RNA-binding proteins in the nucleus of human cells, using their newly developed method of "serial RNA interactome capturing".
	Recent evolutionary change allows a fruit fly to dine on a toxic fruit A fruit called the noni—now hyped for a vast array of unproven health benefits—is distinctly unhealthy for the fruit fly, which has fascinated geneticists for a century. For the species of Drosophila that lives in labs around the world, noni signifies extermination with extreme prejudice: A fly will die if it eats yeast growing on noni.
	Scientists develop 'game changing' stem cell repair system Stem cell therapies capable of regenerating any human tissue damaged by injury, disease or ageing could be available within a few years, following landmark research led by UNSW Australia researchers.
	Study suggests commercial bumble bee industry amplified a fungal pathogen of bees Scientists hoping to explain widespread declines in wild bumble bee populations have conducted the first long-term genetic study of Nosema bombi, a key fungal pathogen of honey bees and bumble bees.
	Common pesticides kill amphibian parasites, study finds The combined effects of pesticides and parasites threaten wildlife populations worldwide (e.g. amphibians, honeybees). Pesticides are predicted to exacerbate the effects of parasites on their hosts by reducing the host's ability to defend against parasite infection. Many studies have examined the effects of pesticides on the host organism, but not much attention has been paid to how pesticides directly affect parasites - until now.
New report confirms global carnivore conservation at risk A new study confirms that the global conservation of carnivores is at risk. Published in Scientific Reports, the report models future global land conversion and estimates this will lead to significant range loss and conflict with local people in regions critical for the survival of already threatened carnivore species.
	First success for recovering Kalbarri abalone Scientists working to return abalone to a once-flourishing population on the notoriously wild coastline north of Kalbarri have enjoyed their first major success—with new juvenile abalone recruits popping up in the region.
	Local spiders come into their own after family rift More than 20 years searching for elusive trapdoor spiders across WA's south-west has culminated in the recent creation of a new genus.
	Unnoticed sex reversal in amphibians due to artificial estrogen from pills Hormonally active substances may contribute to global amphibian decline. Some compounds, for example from pharmaceuticals, occur in biologically relevant concentrations in freshwater ecosystems, and thus can affect the hormonal system and the sexual development of animals.  Researchers from the IGB and the University of Wroclaw have compared the effects of the pill estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) in three amphibian species. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, shows that EE2 can lead to a complete feminization of genetic males. Without molecular establishment of the genetic sex, this has remained partly unnoticed.
	Twists and turns of life: Patterns of DNA supercoiling Scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, have elucidated genome-wide patterns in the complex structures formed by the DNA of bacteria in different environmental conditions. These complex structures in DNA could be playing important roles in regulating gene expression.
	Surprising exotic flies in the backyard: New gnat species from Museum Koenig's garden Little did scientists Kai Heller and Björn Rulik expect to discover a new species in Germany's Alexander Koenig Museum's garden upon placing a malaise trap for testing purposes. Not only did an unknown and strikingly coloured gnat get caught, but it turned out to be a species, which showed to have much more in common with its relatives from New Zealand. Their study is published in the open access Biodiversity Data Journal (BDJ).
Sushi-bar-coding in the UK Critically-endangered species of fish are being sold in sushi restaurants in the UK without adequate labelling.
	New study documents shocking collapse of gorilla subspecies during 20 years of civil unrest A shocking new report by Fauna & Flora International and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) documents a catastrophic collapse of the world's largest primate – the Grauer's gorilla – due to a combination of illegal hunting, civil unrest, and habitat loss from mining.
Artisanal cheeses are a link to the history and culture of their place of origin Artisanal cheesemaking is an important industry in Mexico, but many varieties of artisanal Mexican cheeses are in danger of disappearing because they have not been adequately documented. A team of dairy science experts is working to prevent that loss by collecting the information needed to standardize, protect, and preserve traditional artisanal production processes and to seek protected designation of origin (PDO) status for those that qualify. Their review is published in Articles in Press and will appear in the May 2016 issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.
Potential of satellite remote sensing to monitor species diversity The importance of measuring species diversity as an indicator of ecosystem health has been long recognized and it seems that satellite remote sensing (SRS) has proven to be one of the most cost-effective approaches to identify biodiversity hotspots and predict changes in species composition. What is the real potential of SRS and what are the pitfalls that need to be avoided to achieve the full potential of this method is the topic of a new research, published in the journal Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.
Small but not forgotten: New ideas on pollen's ecology and evolution Pollen grains may be small but they have a big job. Delivering a sperm to an egg is a little more complicated when the parents don't move around. For plants, pollen success means reaching a receptive stigma, germinating and growing a pollen tube into the ovary, locating an ovule, and only then entering and delivering a sperm to a receptive egg. Despite the importance of these events to plant reproduction, pollen performance is relatively understudied.
	Scientists bemoan SeaWorld decision to stop breeding orcas There's one last orca birth to come at SeaWorld, and it will probably be the last chance for research biologist Dawn Noren to study up close how female killer whales pass toxins to their calves through their milk.
Judge says climate change threatens wolverine A federal judge says the Obama administration brushed over the threat of climate change to the snow-loving wolverine when it denied protections for the elusive predator also known as the "mountain devil."
Small fish eaten by bigger species protected on West Coast Federal officials finalized rules Monday for a West Coast ban on catching forage fish, the small fish that larger species, seabirds and marine mammals depend on for food.

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