piątek, 19 września 2014

Fwd: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Sep 18


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 19, 2014 at 2:36 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Sep 18
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>


Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 18, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Spacesuits of the future may resemble a streamlined second skin
- Ultrafast spikes carry supra-kilohertz signals in the cerebellum
- A more efficient, lightweight and low-cost organic solar cell
- Nuclear spins control current in plastic LED: Step toward quantum computing, spintronic memory, better displays
- Human sense of fairness evolved to favor long-term cooperation
- Study shows how epigenetic memory is passed across generations
- World population to keep growing this century, hit 11 billion by 2100
- 'Dimmer switch' for mood disorders discovered
- Plant engineered for more efficient photosynthesis
- Physicists provide new insights into the world of quantum materials
- Team reports reliable, highly efficient method for making stem cells
- Scientists uncover the neural basis of confidence in the rat brain
- Stem cells use 'first aid kits' to repair damage
- Peugeot hybrid compressed-air car set for Paris Motor Show
- Montreal VR headset team turns to crowdfunding for Totem

Astronomy & Space news

Lunar explorers will walk at higher speeds than thought

Anyone who has seen the movies of Neil Armstrong's first bounding steps on the moon couldn't fail to be intrigued by his unusual walking style. But, contrary to popular belief, the astronaut's peculiar walk was not the result of low gravity. Wyle Science, Engineering and Technology scientist John De Witt explains that the early space suits were not designed for walking, so the astronauts adapted their movements to the restrictions of the suit.

NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) prepare astronauts

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen is looking forward to flying to the International Space Station next year but until yesterday he was underwater trying out a handy new device he will use in space.

What is life? It's a tricky, often confusing question

What is life? This is a question that is often asked and typically confused.

The Great Debate over whether the universe is small or large

The visible universe is vast. It is 93 billion light years across, and contains more than 100 billion galaxies. The average galaxy contains about 100 billion stars, and untold numbers of planets. Yet a century ago there was serious doubt among many astronomers that the universe was much more than 100,000 light years across. Arguments about whether the universe was small or large became known as the Great Debate.

The latest observations of interstellar particles

With all the news about Voyager 1 leaving the heliosphere and entering interstellar space you might think that the probe is the first spacecraft to detect interstellar particles. That isn't entirely true, and the latest observations of interstellar particles has found some very interesting results.

Very Long Baseline Array takes radio image of Voyager 1

The image above is a radio image of Voyager 1. It was taken from the Very Long Baseline Array, which is a collection of 10 radio telescopes scattered from Hawaii to the Virgin Islands. It captures the faint radio signal of the distant probe. That pale blue dot is the most distant object made by humans.

Spaceship designer who helped send Gagarin into orbit dies at 92

A spaceship designer who worked on Yury Gagarin's Vostok spaceship and was the last to shake his hand before liftoff, Oleg Ivanovsky, died on Thursday at 92, the Russian space agency said.

Everything in moderation: Micro-8 to study regulating pathogens in space

Our bodies are breeding grounds for microbes—don't worry, it's a good thing! As scientists have been telling us for years, not all microbes are bad. Many active enzymes and bacteria are merely benign, and, in moderation, are beneficial to humans as an important part of our digestive system or can help regulate our immune system.

Miranda: An icy moon deformed by tidal heating

Miranda, a small, icy moon of Uranus, is one of the most visually striking and enigmatic bodies in the solar system. Despite its relatively small size, Miranda appears to have experienced an episode of intense resurfacing that resulted in the formation of at least three remarkable and unique surface features—polygonal-shaped regions called coronae.

Buzzing with activity: Fruit flies orbit Earth for science

If the International Space Station ever starts a "frequent flyers" program, fruit flies surely would be eligible for platinum status. Recently the orbiting laboratory has hosted increasing numbers of fruit fly research studies. One fruit fly investigation returned from the space station in April, and another is scheduled launch to the station Sept. 20. A third experiment is planned to launch in December.

France raises heat on decision for next Ariane rocket

France's space agency on Thursday unveiled a revised proposal for an Ariane rocket ahead of a tough decision on launchers by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Hepatitis C virus proteins in space

Two researchers at Technische Universität München have won the 'International Space Station Research Competition' with their project 'Egypt Against Hepatitis C Virus.' As their prize, the scientists will see the International Space Station crew perform experiments on the space station. The project involves crystallizing two proteins of the hepatitis C virus under microgravity conditions. The shuttle bringing these proteins to the International Space Station is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral on Sept. 20.

Medicine & Health news

'Dimmer switch' for mood disorders discovered

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a control mechanism for an area of the brain that processes sensory and emotive information that humans experience as "disappointment."

Ultrafast spikes carry supra-kilohertz signals in the cerebellum

(Medical Xpress)—One of the challenges in high energy physics is to understand the origin of cosmic rays. The problem is that although these rays continue to be observed at ever higher energies, there is currently no known physical mechanism to fully explain how they attain that energy. The same issue is found in neuroscience. Researchers continue to find neurons that fire spikes at higher and higher rates (>1500 hz) but the models that traditionally have been used to describe them start to break down far below that.

Wild berry extract may strengthen effectiveness of pancreatic cancer drug

A wild berry native to North America may strengthen the effectiveness of a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat pancreatic cancer, reveals research published online in the Journal of Clinical Pathology.

Researchers discover how bacteria resist antibiotics in hospitals

Scientists have uncovered a key factor to explain why antibiotic-resistant bacteria can thrive in a hospital setting.

Scientists pioneer microscopy technique that yields fresh data on muscular dystrophy

Scientists at USC have developed a new microscopy technology that allows them to view single molecules in living animals at higher-than-ever resolution.

How stress tears us apart

Why is it that when people are too stressed they are often grouchy, grumpy, nasty, distracted or forgetful? Researchers from the Brain Mind Institute (BMI) at EPFL have just highlighted a fundamental synaptic mechanism that explains the relationship between chronic stress and the loss of social skills and cognitive impairment. When triggered by stress, an enzyme attacks a synaptic regulatory molecule in the brain. This was revealed by a work published in Nature Communications.

Gel-like padding could help cells survive injection, heal spinal cord injuries

(Medical Xpress)—A team of Bio-X scientists is developing a gel to help protect cells from the trauma of being injected into an injury site. The work could help speed cell-based therapies for spinal cord injuries and other types of damage.

Scientists uncover the neural basis of confidence in the rat brain

Life is a series of decisions, ranging from the mundane to the monumental. And each decision is a gamble, carrying with it the chance to second-guess. Did I make the right turn at that light? Did I choose the right college? Was this the right job for me?

Single dose of antidepressant changes the brain

A single dose of antidepressant is enough to produce dramatic changes in the functional architecture of the human brain. Brain scans taken of people before and after an acute dose of a commonly prescribed SSRI (serotonin reuptake inhibitor) reveal changes in connectivity within three hours, say researchers who report their observations in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on September 18.

New molecule allows for increase in stem cell transplants

Investigators from the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at the Université de Montréal have just published, in the prestigious magazine Science, the announcement of the discovery of a new molecule, the first of its kind, which allows for the multiplication of stem cells in a unit of cord blood. Umbilical cord stem cells are used for transplants aimed at curing a number of blood-related diseases, including leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma. For many patients this therapy comprises a treatment of last resort.

A new way to prevent the spread of devastating diseases

For decades, researchers have tried to develop broadly effective vaccines to prevent the spread of illnesses such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. While limited progress has been made along these lines, there are still no licensed vaccinations available that can protect most people from these devastating diseases.

New technique uses a genetic tool and light to view and map neuronal circuits

For years, neuroscientists have been trying to develop tools that would allow them to clearly view the brain's circuitry in action—from the first moment a neuron fires to the resulting behavior in a whole organism. To get this complete picture, neuroscientists are working to develop a range of new tools to study the brain. Researchers at Caltech have developed one such tool that provides a new way of mapping neural networks in a living organism.

Major U.S. food makers cut 6.4 trillion calories from products: report

(HealthDay)—Sixteen major food and beverage companies have made good on their pledge to cut calories in their U.S. products, a new report finds.

Doctors promoting transparency with patients

(HealthDay)—Efforts to increase transparency among doctors are underway, according to an article published in The Boston Globe.

12 states now reporting severe respiratory illness that targets kids

(HealthDay)—Twelve states now have confirmed cases of Enterovirus D68, the severe respiratory illnesses that may have sickened hundreds of children, U.S. health officials report.

Mystery illness plagues girls in Colombia

First their hands and feet feel cold. Then they go pale and cannot move. Some convulse and fall to the floor.

Asia's rising tobacco epidemic

Smoke-filled bars and packed cancer wards reflect decades of neglect of no-smoking policies in Asia, where both high- and low-income countries are belatedly waking up to a growing tobacco-related health epidemic.

Middle school dilemma: Girls' body image affected by older peers

The media is highly criticized for contributing to body image issues in adolescents. However, a study out today in Psychology of Women Quarterly finds a different source for body dissatisfaction among young girls: older girls at school.

Rosuvastatin treatments particularly effective among prediabetic patients

Cardiovascular disease is the leading causes of death worldwide and high cholesterol plays a major role in accelerating its progression. Medical practitioners have turned to statins as a treatment to decrease cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins such as small dense lipoproteins (sdLDL), considered to be especially harmful. A new study, out today in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics finds that rosuvastatin may be more effective among prediabetic patients than patients with normal glucose levels.

Stem cells have potential to repair diseased corneas

Corneal transplant (keratoplasty) is a known means of successfully treating corneal disease. However, without unlimited donor corneas, researchers say there is a need to study alternate methods of treatment for eye disease and eye trauma.

Magnets help cure chronic acid reflux

Magnets are helping Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center pediatric nephrologist Jens Goebel, MD, and Hoxworth Blood Center clinical lab scientist David Puckett lead healthier lives.

Immune link to stress could help in treating depression

Researchers at the University of Adelaide say a new focus on the links between the immune system and stress is needed to help pave the way for improved treatments of severe depression.

An update on bacterial meningitis and other important vaccine news

With school underway and flu season not far behind, vaccinations are on people's minds again, or at least they should be – according to experts such as George DiFerdinando Jr. who keep track of how disease spreads and the best ways to prevent it.

Declining condom use driving sexually transmitted infections

A fall in condom use across the population is driving strong growth in sexually-transmitted infections, according to one of the authors of an annual surveillance report released today.

Computational drug design yields cocaine toxicity treatment

(Medical Xpress)—A researcher at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is working to develop the first-ever FDA-approved treatments for cocaine overdose and cocaine addiction.

Researcher says airborne Ebola transmission is not an impossibility

The idea of the Ebola virus becoming airborne is not far-fetched and its ability to enter cells that line the trachea and lungs has been shown under controlled laboratory conditions, a Purdue University virus expert says.

Bacterial infection models provide clues potentially useful for controlling gastric ailments

(Medical Xpress)—Scientists from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt University have made steps toward understanding the immune response involved in Helicobacter pylori infection—a common cause of stomach ulcers.

Researchers corroborate the neuroprotective effects of Sirtuin 1 activation on mice with Alzheimer's disease

A study coordinated by the University of Barcelona (UB) has described a mechanism that plays a key role in the evolution of Alzheimer's disease. According to the paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the activation of the protein Sirtuin 1 in a murine model with familial Alzheimer's disease has neuroprotective effects. The study, based on the PhD thesis developed by the researcher David Porquet (UB), first describes Sirtuin 1 pathway in this murine model. Mercè Pallàs, from the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy of UB, coordinates the study. The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) also collaborate in the study.

Experimental brain tumour therapy considered for NHS fast track

A new immunotherapy for a form of brain cancer has become the first in the UK to be designated (link is external) a 'Promising Innovative Medicine' (PIM) as part of a scheme to speed up access to experimental new treatments.

Spontaneous mutations in key brain gene are a cause of autism

Spontaneous mutations in the brain gene TBR1 disrupt the function of the encoded protein in children with severe autism. In addition, there is a direct link between TBR1 and FOXP2, a well-known language-related protein. These are the main findings of Pelagia Deriziotis and colleagues at the Nijmegen Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in an article published by Nature Communications on September 18.

Gestational age is not the only factor that influences survival

A new study analyses the survival rates in Spain of newborns with a gestational age under 26 weeks. The results show that survival under 23 weeks is 'exceptional', although other factors such as birth weight and sex also have an influence.

ER waiting times vary significantly, studies find

(HealthDay)—When it comes to emergency room waiting times, patients seeking care at larger urban hospitals are likely to spend more time staring down the clock than those seen at smaller or more rural facilities, new research suggests.

Internists report considerable EMR-linked time loss

(HealthDay)—Use of electronic medical record (EMR) systems is associated with considerable loss of free time per clinic day, according to a research letter published online Sept. 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The war on leukemia: How the battle for cell production could be decisive

A key step in understanding the nature of the fight for superiority between mutated genes and normal genes could lead to new therapies to combat leukaemia, say researchers from the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University.

Kids eat better if their parents went to college

Children of college-educated parents eat more vegetables and drink less sugar, according to a new study from the University of British Columbia. But it's still not enough, the study goes on to say, as all kids are falling short when it comes to eating healthier at school

Technique to model infections shows why live vaccines may be most effective

Vaccines against Salmonella that use a live, but weakened, form of the bacteria are more effective than those that use only dead fragments because of the particular way in which they stimulate the immune system, according to research from the University of Cambridge published today in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

A second look at glaucoma surgery

New research led by Queen's University professor Robert Campbell (Ophthalmology) has revealed using anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery is not helpful or necessary.

Withdrawal from the evolutionary race

In some HIV sufferers, the immune system does not fight off the immune deficiency virus. Instead, the body tolerates the pathogen. A research team headed by ETH Zurich has now determined how strongly patients differ in their tolerance and upon which factors it depends.

Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood worsens musculoskeletal pain outcomes after trauma

Individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have worse musculoskeletal pain outcomes over time after stressful events such as motor vehicle collision than individuals from higher socioeconomic status neighborhoods, even after accounting for individual characteristics such as age, sex, income, education, and employment status.

Team explores STXBP5 gene and its role in blood clotting

Two independent groups of researchers led by Sidney (Wally) Whiteheart, PhD, of the University of Kentucky, and Charles Lowenstein, MD, of the University of Rochester, have published important studies exploring the role that a gene called STXBP5 plays in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Bill Gates says progress made on new super-thin condom

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said Thursday progress is being made on developing a "next-generation" ultra-thin, skin-like condom that could offer better sexual pleasure, help population control and be financed by first-world investors.

New smartphone app reveals users' mental health, performance, behavior

Dartmouth researchers and their colleagues have built the first smartphone app that automatically reveals students' mental health, academic performance and behavioral trends. In other words, your smartphone knows your state of mind—even if you don't—and how that affects you.

Study discovers means to free immune system to destroy cancer

Research led by Paulo Rodriguez, PhD, an assistant research professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology at LSU Health New Orleans' Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, has identified the crucial role an inflammatory protein known as Chop plays in the body's ability to fight cancer. Results demonstrate, for the first time, that Chop regulates the activity and accumulation of cells that suppress the body's immune response against tumors. The LSU Health New Orleans research team showed that when they removed Chop, the T-cells of the immune system mounted an effective attack on the cancer cells. These findings reveal Chop as a target for the development of new immunotherapies to treat cancer. The research is described in a paper published online September 18, 2014, in Immunity, a Cell Press journal.

Study: Pupil size shows reliability of decisions

Te precision with which people make decisions can be predicted by measuring pupil size before they are presented with any information about the decision, according to a new study published in PLOS Computational Biology this week.

Curcumin, special peptides boost cancer-blocking PIAS3 to neutralize STAT3 in mesothelioma

A common Asian spice and cancer-hampering molecules show promise in slowing the progression of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining often linked to asbestos. Scientists from Case Western Reserve University and the Georg-Speyer-Haus in Frankfurt, Germany, demonstrate that application of curcumin, a derivative of the spice turmeric, and cancer-inhibiting peptides increase levels of a protein inhibitor known to combat the progression of this cancer. Their findings appeared in the Aug. 14 online edition Clinical Cancer Research; the print version of the article will appear Oct. 1.

Research yields a game changer for improving understanding of Ebola and great apes

A group of international scientists have developed a new method to study Ebola virus in wildlife.

Down syndrome helps researchers understand Alzheimer's disease

The link between a protein typically associated with Alzheimer's disease and its impact on memory and cognition may not be as clear as once thought, according to a new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Waisman Center. The findings are revealing more information about the earliest stages of the neurodegenerative disease.

Insulin Rx tied to increased major adverse CV events in DM

(HealthDay)—The rate of major adverse cardiovascular events is higher in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and multivessel coronary artery disease treated with insulin (ITDM) versus those not treated with insulin (non-ITDM), according to a study published in the Sept. 23 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

High mortality, costs with C. difficile after spine surgery

(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection is associated with longer, more expensive hospital stays, and increased mortality, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.

Professional recommendations against routine prostate cancer screening have little effect

The effect of guidelines recommending that elderly men should not be routinely screened for prostate cancer "has been minimal at best," according to a new study led by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital.

New insights on an ancient plague could improve treatments for infections

Dangerous new pathogens such as the Ebola virus invoke scary scenarios of deadly epidemics, but even ancient scourges such as the bubonic plague are still providing researchers with new insights on how the body responds to infections.

Research milestone in CCHF virus could help identify new treatments

New research into the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne virus which causes a severe hemorrhagic disease in humans similar to that caused by Ebolavirus, has identified new cellular factors essential for CCHFV infection. This discovery has the potential to lead to novel targets for therapeutic interventions against the pathogen.

Two Ebola vaccines to be tested in Switzerland

Clinical trials of two experimental vaccines against the deadly Ebola virus are due to begin soon in Switzerland, the country's Tropical and Public Health Institute said on Thursday.

Exercise boosts tumor-fighting ability of chemotherapy, research finds

Study after study has proven it true: exercise is good for you. But new research from University of Pennsylvania scientists suggests that exercise may have an added benefit for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Spouse's personality influences career success, study finds

As people spend more and more time in the workplace, it's natural for co-workers to develop close bonds—what's often referred to as a "workplace spouse" or an "office wife."

FDA approves Eli Lilly's injectable diabetes drug

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new injectable diabetes drug from Eli Lilly and Co. for adults with the most common form of the disease.

Gun deaths twice as high among African-Americans as white citizens in US

Gun deaths are twice as high among African-Americans as they are among white citizens in the US, finds a study of national data, published in the online journal BMJ Open. But the national figures, which have remained relatively steady over the past decade, mask wide variation in firearms deaths by ethnicity and state, the findings show.

PET-CT predicts lymphoma survival better than conventional imaging

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) is more accurate than conventional CT scanning in measuring response to treatment and predicting survival in patients with follicular lymphoma, and should be used routinely in clinical practice, according to new research published in The Lancet Haematology.

Coercion could worsen Ebola epidemic, say experts

Coercive measures to stem the deadly Ebola epidemic in West Africa, such as confining people to their homes, could backfire badly, experts say.

'Lather Against Ebola', an 'Ice Bucket' challenge against the virus

Bringing a soapy twist to the "Ice Bucket Challenge" that has swept the world in recent weeks, Ivorians are raising awareness about the deadly disease outbreak in west Africa with a new "Lather Against Ebola" campaign.

Report reveals dangerous gap in understanding of hepatitis C transmission

A wide-ranging report by UNSW's Centre for Social Research in Health shows hepatitis C knowledge in young people and gay men is dangerously low.

Nepal adopts jab to boost polio fight

Nepal on Thursday launched a drive to eradicate polio by supplementing oral vaccines with an injection that experts say will boost children's immunity against the disease.

Sierra Leone readies for controversial Ebola shutdown

Sierra Leone was preparing on Thursday for an unprecedented three-day nationwide shutdown to contain the deadly spread of the Ebola virus in a controversial move which experts claimed could worsen the epidemic.

Swatting chikungunya

Summer days may be waning, but health officials are still on high alert for new cases of chikungunya, a painful mosquito-borne virus that spread to the United States from the tropics earlier this year.

Non-stop PET/CT scan provides accurate images

Siemens is improving PET/CT imaging and data quality while reducing radiation exposure. The Biograph mCT Flow PET/CT scanner is a new positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) system that, for the first time ever, overcomes the limitations of conventional bed-based PET/CT with FlowMotion, a revolutionary technology that moves the patient smoothly through the system's gantry, while continuously acquiring PET data.

Putting dementia carers in control

Experts will explore how improved support and powers for people caring for loved-ones with dementia can improve quality of life for both patients and carers around the UK.

Italian army to grow medical marijuana

The Italian army is aiming high with its latest weapon on the medical front: marijuana.

'Baby Buddy' app to support expectant and new parents seeks user feedback

The child health and wellbeing charity Best Beginnings is inviting professionals and parents to use and give feedback on a free mobile phone app, the first version of which aims to support young mothers through pregnancy to when the baby is six months old.

Legionnaire's disease kills four in Spain

Four people have died from an outbreak of the lung infection Legionnaire's disease in northeastern Spain, regional health authorities said Thursday.

WHO: 700 more Ebola cases emerge in only one week

The World Health Organization says more than 700 more Ebola cases emerged in West Africa in one week, a statistic that shows the outbreak is accelerating.

Decision-support program helps keep seniors out of the emergency room

An Emergency Room Decision-Support (ERDS) program can significantly reduce ER visits and hospital admissions among older adults on Medicare. This could have important economic implications, helping to reduce the nearly 33% of avoidable ER visits that contribute to about $18 billion in unnecessary healthcare costs each year. Details of a successful ERDS program that had a positive return on investment are published in an article in Population Health Management.

Americans rate losing eyesight as having greatest impact on their lives

Many Americans across racial and ethnic groups describe losing eyesight as potentially having the greatest impact on their day-to-day life, more so than other conditions including: loss of limb, memory, hearing and speech (57% of African-Americans, 49% of non-Hispanic whites, 43% of Asians and 38% of Hispanics). When asked which disease or ailment is the worst that could happen to them, blindness ranked first among African-Americans followed by AIDS/HIV. Hispanics and Asians ranked cancer first and blindness second, while Alzheimer's disease ranked first among non-Hispanic whites followed by blindness.

Ebola death toll climbs to 2,630 out of 5,357 cases: WHO

The deadliest Ebola epidemic on record has now infected more than 5,000 people in west Africa and killed around half of them, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Flu vaccine for expectant moms a top priority

Only about half of all pregnant women in the U.S. get a flu shot each season, leaving thousands of moms-to-be and their babies at increased risk of serious illness.

Study provides insight about providing private mental health service to veterans

A unique partnership to support private efforts to provide mental health services to veterans and their families could provide a model for similar efforts should federal officials decide to expand privately provided health care as part of reform of the VA health system, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

Fortune 500 employees can expect to pay more for health insurance, survey says

Employees working for Fortune 500 companies can expect to pay higher employee contributions for their health insurance, according to a survey of chief human resource officers about the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as PPACA or Obamacare) conducted by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina this past May/June.

ASTRO issues second list of 'Choosing wisely' guidelines

(HealthDay)—The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has released a second list of five radiation oncology-specific treatments that should be discussed before being prescribed, as part of the national Choosing Wisely campaign.

Anaesthesia additive blamed for Syria measles vaccine deaths

Syria's opposition said Thursday that 16 children who died during a measles vaccination campaign in the mostly rebel-held province of Idlib had been given an anaesthesia additive by mistake.

Health law enrollment now 7.3M

The Obama administration says 7.3 million people have signed up for subsidized private health insurance under the health care law—down from 8 million reported earlier this year.

US 'upgrades' plan against antibiotic resistance

US President Barack Obama on Thursday issued an executive order to ramp up the national response to the problem of antibiotic resistance and infections that cannot be treated.

Trial begins for MRI-compatible robot designed to improve accuracy of prostate biopsies

A novel robotic system that can operate inside the bore of an MRI scanner is currently being tested as part of a biomedical research partnership program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston with the aim of determining if the robot, in conjunction with real-time MRI images, can make prostate cancer biopsies faster, more accurate, less costly, and less discomforting for the patient. The novel system also has the potential to deliver prostate cancer therapies with greater precision.

Vitamin E, selenium supplements unlikely to effect age-related cataracts in men

Taking daily supplements of selenium and/or vitamin E appears to have no significant effect on the development of age-related cataracts in men, writes Author William G. Christen, Sc.D., of Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues.

Cooling of dialysis fluids protects against brain damage

While dialysis can cause blood pressure changes that damage the brain, cooling dialysis fluids can protect against such effects. The findings come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The cooling intervention can be delivered without additional cost and is simple to perform.


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