Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Sep 16

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 17, 2014 at 2:38 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Sep 16
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 16, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Physicists design zero-friction quantum engine
- Scientists twist radio beams to send data: Transmissions reach speeds of 32 gigabits per second
- Nanocontainers for nanocargo: Delivering genes and proteins for cellular imaging, genetic medicine and cancer therapy
- Pottery shards offer evidence of pulque production in prehispanic Mesoamerica
- Human faces are so variable because we evolved to look unique
- Nanoribbon film keeps glass ice-free: Team refines deicing film that allows radio frequencies to pass
- Chandra X-ray Observatory finds planet that makes star act deceptively old
- Ebola outbreak 'out of all proportion' and severity cannot be predicated
- Pairing social networks with social motives to close the science gap
- New camera sheds light on mate choice of swordtail fish
- Google to test cars without a driver
- Dell unveils new ultra-thin tablet
- Capturing ancient Maya sites from both a rat's and a 'bat's eye view'
- Water-based nuclear battery can be used to generate electrical energy
- Novel capability enables first test of real turbine engine conditions

Astronomy & Space news

	Chandra X-ray Observatory finds planet that makes star act deceptively old (Phys.org) —A planet may be causing the star it orbits to act much older than it actually is, according to new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. This discovery shows how a massive planet can affect the behavior of its parent star.
	Astronomers release most detailed catalogue ever made of the visible Milky Way A new catalogue of the visible part of the northern part of our home Galaxy, the Milky Way, includes no fewer than 219 million stars. Geert Barentsen of the University of Hertfordshire led a team who assembled the catalogue in a ten year programme using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) on La Palma in the Canary Islands. Their work appears today in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
	NASA picks Boeing and SpaceX to ferry astronauts NASA is a giant step closer to launching Americans again from U.S. soil.
	Image: Crescent Mimas A thin sliver of Mimas is illuminated, the long shadows showing off its many craters, indicators of the moon's violent history.
	A complete guide to the 2014 Uranus opposition season It's no joke… now is the time to begin searching the much-maligned (and mispronounced) planet Uranus as it reaches opposition in early October leading up to a very special celestial event.
	New Horizons sights tiny Pluto moon as spacecraft races toward dwarf planet Here's Hydra! The New Horizons team spotted the tiny moon of Pluto in July, about six months ahead of when they expected to. You can check it out in the images below. The find is exciting in itself, but it also bodes well for the spacecraft's search for orbital debris to prepare for its close encounter with the system in July 2015.
	NASA announcing commercial crew winners (Update) NASA is one giant step closer to launching Americans again from U.S. soil.
	CASIS research set for launch aboard SpaceX mission to space station The fall marks a new school year, a new football season and another commercial cargo flight to the International Space Station. In September, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to blast off to the orbital laboratory carrying supplies and investigations as part of the company's fourth contracted mission to the complex.

Medicine & Health news

	Neuroscientists decode conscious experiences with Hitchcock film (Medical Xpress)—Western researchers have extended their game-changing brain scanning techniques by showing that a short Alfred Hitchcock movie can be used to detect consciousness in vegetative state patients. The study included a Canadian participant who had been entirely unresponsive for 16 years, but is now known to be aware and able to follow the plot of movies.
	Brain structure of kidney donors may make them more altruistic (Medical Xpress)—People who donate kidneys to strangers have significantly different brain structures than those who don't.
	Treating insomnia in elderly reduces inflammation, lowers risk for chronic diseases (Medical Xpress)—Lack of sleep can make you sick. And while everybody has the occasional restless night, for those who suffer from chronic insomnia—some 15 percent of older adults in the United States—that sleep loss can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and even lead to an earlier death.
	Researchers find nine diabetes variants that can greatly increase risk from disease (Medical Xpress)—Harvard researchers have identified nine genetic variants that dramatically increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, adding to our knowledge of the disease's underpinnings and providing a glimpse of its vast genetic diversity.
	Infant's mysterious death leads to discovery of a family disease (Medical Xpress)—Shortly after the death of his newborn son, 43-year-old Erik Drewniak was hospitalized with some of the same symptoms that killed the infant—high fever, severe respiratory distress, and hemorrhaging in the lungs, intestines, and brain.
Gene variant that dramatically reduces 'bad' lipids In the first study to emerge from the UK10K Project's cohort of samples from the general public, scientists have identified a rare genetic variant that dramatically reduces levels of certain types of lipids in the blood. The research suggests that people with the rare change have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
	How learning to talk is in the genes Researchers have found evidence that genetic factors may contribute to the development of language during infancy.
	Ebola outbreak 'out of all proportion' and severity cannot be predicated A mathematical model that replicates Ebola outbreaks can no longer be used to ascertain the eventual scale of the current epidemic, finds research conducted by the University of Warwick.
	No sedative necessary: Scientists discover new 'sleep node' in the brain (Medical Xpress)—A sleep-promoting circuit located deep in the primitive brainstem has revealed how we fall into deep sleep. Discovered by researchers at Harvard School of Medicine and the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, this is only the second "sleep node" identified in the mammalian brain whose activity appears to be both necessary and sufficient to produce deep sleep.
	Dental and nutrition experts call for radical rethink on free sugars intake Sugars in the diet should make up no more than 3% of total energy intake to reduce the significant financial and social burdens of tooth decay, finds new research from UCL (University College London) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
	Researchers debunk myth about Parkinson's disease Using advanced computer models, neuroscience researchers at the University of Copenhagen have gained new knowledge about the complex processes that cause Parkinson's disease. The findings have recently been published in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience.
	New genetic identification techniques shed light on causes of developmental delay and autism (Medical Xpress)—In an international study published in Nature Genetics researchers have used a new gene discovery approach to identify genes causing developmental delay and autism, which could lead to finding new targeted therapies for these conditions.
	Blood pressure monitoring (Medical Xpress)—Untreated and sustained hypertension has an adverse effect on brain structure and function, and is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. Blood pressure (BP) variability from measurement-to-measurement has been associated with lower cognitive functioning and is considered a stronger predictor of mental performance than averaged BP.
Hazelwood coal fire linked to 11 deaths It is likely air pollution from the 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire in Victoria caused the premature deaths of 11 people, a QUT health researcher said.
Are epigenetic drugs a hope to treat cancer resistance and reduce cancer relapse? (Medical Xpress)—High school biology taught us that we inherit certain traits from our parents that are pre-determined. But what if you could change how these genes play out by taking certain drugs or better yet, just changing your diet?
Medical field urged to look within for solution to opioid addiction University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers are asking the medical community to consider its own role in the rise in prescription opioid abuse, calling for more research on iatrogenic addiction (addiction resulting from medical treatment) and changes in the way medical providers are educated about pain management.
	Organic food may cause fewer pre-eclampsia cases Pregnant women who often eat organic vegetables have a lower risk of pre-eclampsia than women who rarely or never do. This is shown in an article using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) published in the British Medical Journal Open.
	A heart-felt need for dairy food A daily small serve of dairy food may reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke, even in communities where such foods have not traditionally formed part of the diet.
	Telling kids homophobia is wrong won't stop bullying in schools There is no doubt that homophobic bullying is a problem in Australian schools. The latest Writing Themselves in report published by Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria reports 80% of young gay, lesbian or questioning teens experience gender and sexuality-based bullying in the form of physical and verbal assault while at school.
	HPV vaccine reduces prevalence of targeted and non-targeted HPV types A human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine used in Australia has reduced the prevalence of vaccine-targeted and non-targeted HPV types, researchers have found.
New diagnostic method identifies genetic diseases People with genetic diseases often have to embark on an odyssey from one doctor to the next. Fewer than half of all patients who are suspected of having a genetic disease actually receive a satisfactory diagnosis. Scientists from the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics have now developed a test procedure that significantly increases the prospect of a diagnosis for affected patients. The procedure is freely available to the relevant medical institutions and can be used with immediate effect.
	Facing a post-antibiotic world It's official. Humanity is racing towards a post-antibiotic era, a time when today's life-saving drugs won't successfully treat common infectious diseases or even infections from minor injuries.
Cancer-fighting cocktail demonstrates promising results as treatment for advanced cervical cancer Combining a standard chemotherapy drug with a second drug that stops cells from dividing improves both the survival and response rates for those with advanced cervical cancer, a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center cancer researchers finds.
A new therapeutic target may prevent blindness in premature babies at risk of retinopathy Possibility of developing new, more selective drugs to control the abnormal growth of blood vessels and prevent blindness including retinopathy of prematurity, a disorder that may result in retinal detachment due to abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina of the eye.
	More cheese, please: News study shows dairy is good for your metabolic health Dairy is considered part of a healthy diet and dietary guidelines recommend the daily consumption of 2-4 portions of milk-based products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, cream and butter.
	INR variability predicts warfarin adverse effects (HealthDay)—Unstable anticoagulation predicts warfarin adverse effects regardless of time in therapeutic range, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
	Errata frequently seen in medical literature (HealthDay)—Errata, including those that may materially change the interpretation of data, are frequent in medical publications, according to a study published in the August issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
	HbA1c more than 5.9 percent can ID diabetes in early pregnancy (HealthDay)—An HbA1c threshold of ≥5.9 percent can identify all women with gestational diabetes in early pregnancy, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in Diabetes Care.
	Pattern of estrogen-progestin use from 1970 to 2010 described (HealthDay)—The use of estrogen-progestin has varied over the past 40 years, peaking in the 1990s and declining in the early 2000s, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Many primary care patients will use personal health records (HealthDay)—A substantial proportion of primary care patients will use online personal health records that interact with the electronic health record, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	HPV vaccine knowledge doesn't predict vaccination (HealthDay)—Neither parents' nor adolescents' knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines predicts vaccination compliance, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in Pediatrics.
	Nonsurgical treatments suggested for women's urinary incontinence (HealthDay)—Effective treatment options exist for women with urinary incontinence that don't involve medication or surgery, according to new guidelines from the American College of Physicians.
Neuroimaging technique identifies concussion-related brain disease in living brain An experimental positron emission tomography (PET) tracer is effective in diagnosing concussion-related brain disease while a person is still alive, according to a case study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and at Molecular Neuroimaging (MNI) LLC in New Haven, and published September 16 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
Lactation linked to reduced estrogen receptor-negative, triple-negative breast cancer risk Women who have had children (parous women) appear to have an increased risk of developing estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, the subtype that carries a higher mortality rate and is more common in women of African ancestry. A similar relationship was found for triple-negative breast cancer. However, the association between childbearing and increased risk of estrogen receptor-negative and triple-negative breast cancer was largely confined to the women who had never breastfed. These findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that low rates of breastfeeding in African American women may contribute to their higher incidence of the more aggressive and difficult-to-treat subtypes of breast cancer.
Poor body size judgement can lead to increased tolerance of obesity Size is relative, especially to people who tend to be on the heavy side. Researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center in the US found that seven in every ten obese adults underestimate how much someone weighs. People of normal weight make this mistake much less often. Mothers of overweight or obese children also tend to misjudge their children's size, as youngsters misjudge their obese mothers' size, says lead author Tracy Paul, now at Weill-Cornell Medical College, in a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Lilly, AstraZeneca team up on Alzheimer's drug Eli Lilly and Co. plans to pay up to $500 million to fellow drugmaker AstraZeneca as part of a collaboration to develop and sell a potential Alzheimer's disease treatment that is in the early stages of clinical testing.
	Startup commercializing innovation to reduce neurotoxin that damages nerve cells, triggers pain A Purdue startup is commercializing a technology that could reduce the symptoms and pain of neurological disease and injury, including multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain and Parkinson's disease.
	Consensus grows that bed rest could hurt pregnant women For much of his 20-year career as a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Anthony J. Sciscione has been criticizing something obstetricians routinely prescribe to try to prevent premature birth: bed rest.
Optogenetics has 'completely changed neuroscience' It's getting harder to find the line between science and science fiction. One of the hot research techniques these days, "optogenetics," uses gene therapy to deliver light-sensitive proteins to specific cells. Then researchers use light to control the cells. The field got its start in the brain, where scientists have demonstrated the technique by making contented mice fly into a rage - a remarkable, if slightly creepy, achievement.
Pre-diabetes, diabetes rates fuel national health crisis Americans are getting fatter, and older. These converging trends are putting the USA on the path to an alarming health crisis: Nearly half of adults have either pre-diabetes or diabetes, raising their risk of heart attacks, blindness, amputations and cancer.
Point-of-care CD4 testing is economically feasible for HIV care in resource-limited areas A new point-of-care test to measure CD4 T-cells, the prime indicator of HIV disease progression, can expedite the process leading from HIV diagnosis to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and improve clinical outcomes. Now a study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators, working in collaboration with colleagues in Mozambique and South Africa, indicates that routine use of point-of-care CD4 testing at the time of HIV diagnosis could be cost effective in countries where health care and other resources are severely limited. Their analysis is being published in the public-access journal, PLOS Medicine.
The genetics of coping with HIV We respond to infections in two fundamental ways. One, which has been the subject of intensive research over the years, is "resistance," where the body attacks the invading pathogen and reduces its numbers. Another, which is much less well understood, is "tolerance," where the body tries to minimise the damage done by the pathogen. Now an elegant study using data from a large Swiss cohort of HIV-infected individuals gives us a tantalising glimpse into why some people cope with HIV better than others.
Access to female-controlled contraception needed in intimate partner violence Access to female-controlled contraceptive methods must be improved in order to help women and girls to counteract any risks to their reproductive health caused by intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion,* according to US experts writing in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Evidence of genetic link to PTSD in soldiers exposed to childhood trauma While abnormalities in the adrenergic and noradrenergic systems, both integral in the fight-or-flight response, are thought to play a role in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), until now there has been no genetic evidence of this connection. A collaborative study just released by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Michigan found an interaction between the ADRB2 gene and childhood adversity. For individuals with two or more experiences of childhood trauma, such as abuse, genotype was associated with risk for adult PTSD symptoms. These findings are significant for the study of the physiology of PTSD, for the treatment and prevention of stress-related illnesses, and may have implications for treating pain, which has also been linked to the ADRB2 gene.
Job stress not the only cause of burnouts at work Impossible deadlines, demanding bosses, abusive colleagues, unpaid overtime—all these factors can lead to a burnout. When it comes to mental health in the workplace, we often forget to consider the influence of home life.
Smoking and schizophrenia linked by alterations in brain nicotine signals Schizophrenia is associated with increased rates and intensity of tobacco smoking. A growing body of research suggests that the relationship between schizophrenia and smoking stems, in part, from an effort by patients to use nicotine to self-medicate symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with the disease.
Patients waiting too long to see doctor? Try 'just-in-time' management methods, researchers urge Using a pain clinic as a testing ground, researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that a management process first popularized by Toyota in Japan can substantially reduce patient wait times and possibly improve the teaching of interns and residents.
	Novel drug targeting leukemia cells enters clinical trial Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have launched a phase 1 human clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a new monoclonal antibody for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common form of blood cancer in adults.
	A novel therapy for sepsis? A University of Tokyo research group has discovered that pentatraxin 3 (PTX3), a protein that helps the innate immune system target invaders such as bacteria and viruses, can reduce mortality of mice suffering from sepsis. This discovery may lead to a therapy for sepsis, a major cause of death in developed countries that is fatal in one in four cases.
	Blood test spots adult depression (HealthDay)—A new blood test is the first objective scientific way to diagnose major depression in adults, a new study claims.
Movantik approved for constipation from opioids (HealthDay)—Movantik (naloxegol) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid-induced constipation, the agency said Tuesday.
	Folate intake ups outcomes for assisted reproductive technology (HealthDay)—For women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment, higher supplemental folate intake is associated with improved outcomes, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Eight percent of children account for 24 percent of ER visits (HealthDay)—Eight percent of children account for nearly one-quarter of emergency department visits and 31 percent of costs, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in Pediatrics.
	Spinal manipulation helps relieve back-related leg pain (HealthDay)—Adding spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) to home exercise and advice (HEA) may improve short-term outcomes in patients with subacute and chronic back-related leg pain (BRLP), according to research published in the Sept. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
UTMB professor implements lifesaving protocol for school children with severe allergies As the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. increases, so does the risk of children having a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis on school campuses. School nurses often have treatment plans in place for students with diagnosed allergies, but many children have their first allergic reactions at school, where a specific medication, such as EpiPen epinephrine injectors, may not be available and a response protocol may not be in place.
	Patient's question triggers important study about blood thinners Physicians around the world now have guidance that can help them determine the best oral blood thinners to use for their patients suffering from blood clots in their veins, thanks to a patient of The Ottawa Hospital who asked his physician a question he couldn't answer. This new guidance is found in a study published today by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Study identifies when and how much various prostate cancer treatments will impact urinary and sexual functioning Men with prostate cancer may one day be able to predict when and how much various treatments will impact their urinary and sexual functioning, thanks in part to new findings that researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's 56th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 16.
New radiosurgery technology provides highly accurate treatment, greater patient comfort A new stereotactic radiosurgery system provides the same or a higher level of accuracy in targeting cancer tumors – but offers greater comfort to patients and the ability to treat multiple tumors at once – when compared to other radiation therapy stereotactic systems, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Benefit of endocrine therapy in elderly women with low risk hormone receptor positive breast cancer? Treatment with endocrine therapy and radiation therapy as part of breast conservation is the current standard of care for women with hormone-receptor positive (HR+) invasive breast cancer. A new study by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center, however, shows that combination may not be necessary for all patient populations with the disease.
Effect of magnesium sulfate during pregnancy on very preterm infants Magnesium sulfate given intravenously to pregnant women at risk of very preterm birth was not associated with benefit on neurological, behavioral, growth, or functional outcomes in their children at school age, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA.
Waistlines of US adults continue to increase The prevalence of abdominal obesity and average waist circumference increased among U.S. adults from 1999 to 2012, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA.
Focus on treatment costs, value: Less radiation for elderly women with early breast cancer In a healthcare climate where the costs of treatment are increasingly weighed against potential benefit, a Yale study has found that radiation oncologists are using fewer or less-aggressive radiation procedures on elderly women with early-stage breast cancer. The findings are scheduled to be presented at the 56th annual conference of the American Society for Radiation Oncology in San Francisco. (Abstract 131: Evaluating National Practice in Radiotherapy for Elderly Women: Response to a Randomized Trial and Cost Effectiveness on a National Scale.)
	Hey1 and Hey2 ensure inner ear 'hair cells' are made at the right time, in the right place Two Johns Hopkins neuroscientists have discovered the "molecular brakes" that time the generation of important cells in the inner ear cochleas of mice. These "hair cells" translate sound waves into electrical signals that are carried to the brain and are interpreted as sounds. If the arrangement of the cells is disordered, hearing is impaired.
Diabetes complications make patients more likely to fall down stairs New research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria, shows that people suffering from diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN)—a complication of diabetes that affects the nerves in the limbs—are likely to sway more during stair climbing, and thus are more likely to fall. Steven Brown, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, is the lead author on this research, which has been conducted by researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, UK.
Urine HPV test could offer non-invasive alternative to conventional smear, improve screening uptake Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Up to 80% of sexually active women are infected at some point in their lives and infection with specific "high risk" strains of HPV has an established link to cervical cancer.
Do wearable lifestyle activity monitors really work? Wearable electronic activity monitors hold great promise in helping people to reach their fitness and health goals. These increasingly sophisticated devices help the wearers improve their wellness by constantly monitoring their activities and bodily responses. This information is organized into companion computer programs and mobile apps.
Severe respiratory illness confirmed in 12 states Health officials say 12 states now have respiratory illnesses caused by an uncommon virus—enterovirus 68.
	Imaging identifies asymptomatic people at risk for stroke Imaging can be a cost-effective way to identify people at risk for stroke who might benefit from aggressive intervention, according to a new modeling study published online in the journal Radiology.
Obama to announce major Ebola effort US President Barack Obama will Tuesday seek to "turn the tide" in the Ebola epidemic by ordering 3,000 US military personnel to West Africa and launching a major health care training and hygiene program.
New questions over abortion coverage in health law A nonpartisan report to Congress is raising new questions about a key provision of federal health care law: a compromise on abortion that allowed the legislation to pass in 2010.
	Dirty water raising health risk in flooded Kashmir The floodwaters are finally receding in much of Kashmir, but health experts worry a crisis could be looming with countless bloated livestock floating across the waterlogged region and hundreds of thousands of people living in temporary shelters.
100 million people saved from hunger over last decade: UN The number of hungry people in the world has dropped by 100 million over the last 10 years but one in nine are still undernourished, with Asia home to the majority of the underfed, the UN said on Tuesday.
Reduce your risk of falls If you are over 65 and have had a fall before, researchers at the University of Sydney think you should balance on one leg to brush your teeth, bend your knees to pack the dishwasher and take the stairs more often.
British Psychological Society calls for better talking therapies for all The British Psychological Society has welcomed the increase in access to evidence-based psychological therapies over the past five years which has been supported by all three main political parties. However, there is still a long way to go. Along with other organizations in the We Need to Talk Coalition (WNTT), the Society is today calling for further action to improve the provision of psychological therapies within the NHS.
More children live to age five, work still to be done More of the world's children are surviving to their fifth birthday, but 6.3 million still died last year, mostly from preventable causes, the U.N. children's agency said Tuesday.
	Allergan agrees to move forward with meeting Allergan and Pershing Square have agreed on at least one step toward settling a fight over the makeup of the Botox-maker's board.
Web technology offers mental health support A web based application connecting people with potential mental health issues to clinical advice and support networks has been created by researchers at Aston and Warwick universities.
Medical charity: Time running out to stop Ebola International efforts to stop the accelerating spread of Ebola in West Africa were ramping up Tuesday, but a medical charity warned that the response is still dangerously behind and time is running out to act.
NSCLC patients who never smoked or who quit smoking have lower risk of developing secondary cancers Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors who never smoked or who are former smokers at the time of diagnosis have a lower risk of developing secondary primary lung cancers (SPLC) compared to those who are current smokers, suggesting that increased tobacco exposure is associated with a higher risk of SPLC, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
Select group of stage IV lung cancer patients achieve long-term survival after aggressive treatments A large, international analysis of patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indicates that a patient's overall survival (OS) rate can be related to factors including the timing of when metastases develop and lymph node involvement, and that aggressive treatment for "low-risk" patients leads to a five-year OS rate of 47.8 percent, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
Prostate cancer patients surveyed five years after vessel-sparing RT report preserved sexual function A comparison of five-year sexual function outcomes, as reported by patients treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) versus combination EBRT plus brachytherapy, indicates that the utilization of vessel-sparing radiation therapy makes cure possible without compromising long-term sexual function, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
Prostate cancer patients who receive hypofractionated RT report consistent QoL Prostate cancer patients who received hypofractionated (HPFX) radiation therapy (RT) reported that their quality of life, as well as bladder and bowel function were at similar levels before and after RT, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting. Additionally, results indicate that parallel quality of life outcomes occurred between groups of patients who receive different regimens of HPFX RT.
Billion dollar Ebola fight seen as US pledges 3,000 troops (Update) Nearly one billion dollars is needed to fight the Ebola outbreak raging in west Africa, the United Nations said Tuesday, while Washington pledged 3,000 troops to try to "turn the tide" of the epidemic.
Single fraction RT as effective as multiple fraction RT for bone metastases A prospective study that compared patient-reported outcomes of a broad set of cancer patients with bone metastases demonstrates that single fraction radiation therapy (SFRT) is equally as effective as multiple fraction radiation therapy (MFRT) when pain, function and quality of life are considered, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting. The multi-center study indicates that improvements in patients' pain, function and degree of distress were similar between the SFRT and MFRT patients, including for the type of patients who were excluded from previous clinical trials, thus confirming the validity of prior randomized control trials to real-world practice.
World Health Organization policy improves use of medicines In this issue of PLOS Medicine, Kathleen Holloway from WHO and David Henry (University of Toronto, Canada) evaluated data on reported adherence to WHO essential medicines practices and measures of quality use of medicines from 56 low and middle income countries for 2002-2008. They compared the countries' government-reported implementation of 36 essential medicines policies with independent survey results for 10 validated indicators of quality use of medicines (QUM). They claim that the results provide the strongest evidence to date that WHO essential medicines policies are associated with improved medicines use.
Chemotherapy and SABR consecutively may be promising treatment option for advanced pancreatic cancer For patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, the combination of chemotherapy and stereotactic ablative radiation (SABR) may be a promising treatment option, ultimately allowing them to undergo surgery that may not otherwise be an option, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
Cancer patients with malignant spinal cord compression have preserved mobility Mobility is equally preserved in cancer patients suffering from malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) who receive a single dose of 10 Gy of radiation therapy (RT), compared to patients who receive five daily doses of 4 Gy of RT each, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
Long-term results of RTOG 0236 confirm good primary tumor control, positive five-year survival rates Patients with inoperable, early-stage lung cancer who receive stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) have a five-year survival rate of 40 percent, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting. Such a positive survival rate is encouraging considering that historically conventional RT resulted in poor tumor control for patients with inoperable lung cancer. This study is an update of RTOG 0236, originally published in 2010 , and also conducted by the original researchers to evaluate tumor control rates and side effects for patients at five years post-treatment.
Scientists link slowed processing speed with executive deficits in MS Kessler Foundation researchers have published a study supporting the role of slowed processing speed in the executive deficits found in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). "Does slowed processing speed account for executive deficits in multiple sclerosis? Evidence from neuropsychological performance and structural neuroimaging," was published online ahead of print on August 18 by Rehabilitation Psychology.
Ebola death toll climbs to 2,461 out of 4,985 cases: WHO The deadliest Ebola epidemic on record has now infected nearly 5,000 people in west Africa and killed around half of them, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
Big cities take aim at prescription painkillers Some of the nation's largest cities are ratcheting up their criticism of prescription painkillers, blaming the industry for a wave of addiction and overdoses that have ravaged their communities and busted local budgets.
Results of OCT STEMI trial reported at TCT 2014 The first randomized trial to examine serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was reported at the 26th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine.
Results of IVUS-CTO trial reported at TCT 2014 A new study found that intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) -guided intervention in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) could improve outcomes compared to a conventional angiography-guided approach during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The IVUS-CTO study is the first randomized trial to examine the clinical impact of IVUS guidance for CTO intervention.
Results of DKCRUSH-VI trial reported A new study found that fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided provisional side branch (SB) stenting of true coronary bifurcation lesions yields similar outcomes to the current standard of care. The DKCRUSH-VI clinical trial is the first study to compare FFR-guided and angiography-guided stenting.
Results of RIBS IV trial reported A new clinical trial comparing the use of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) and drug-eluting balloons (DEB) in treating in-stent restenosis (ISR) from drug-eluting stents found that EES provided superior late angiographic results and better late clinical outcomes.
Probe: HealthCare.gov website must boost security Nonpartisan congressional investigators say the HealthCare.gov website has significant security weaknesses that could put Americans' personal information at risk.
Combination therapy for COPD associated with better outcomes Among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly those with asthma, newly prescribed long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy, compared with newly prescribed LABAs alone, was associated with a lower risk of death or COPD hospitalization, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA.
	Tracing the rise of Ebola in West Africa Since the Ebola outbreak first emerged in West Africa, The Associated Press has been reporting on it. A timeline compiled from AP dispatches since March shows the dreaded disease being identified in a remote part of Guinea and then spreading to another country and then two more nations with authorities being alternately alarmed or confident.
Study shows users of insulin pumps are at 29 percent lower risk of death compared with patients on insulin injections A study of more than 18,000 patients with type 1 diabetes has shown that use of insulin pumps to administer insulin rather than treatment with multiple daily insulin injections results in a 29% reduction in all-cause mortality and 43% reduction in the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD, i.e. coronary heart disease or stroke). The study is presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Vienna, Austria, and was prepared by Dr Soffia Gudbjörnsdottir, University of Gothenburg, Sweden and colleagues.

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