Researchers discover new species of extinct Hawaiian bat

Researchers have unearthed a new species of fossilized ancient bat on a Hawaiian Island, bringing the number of known land mammals native to Hawaii to two.

Prior to the discovery of the new species, the only known land mammal native to Hawaii was the hoary bat. But after analyzing the fossils of the new species, the researchers concluded that the new bat species dubbed Synemporion keana lived alongside the hoary bat.

The two species lived and flourished alongside each other before becoming extinct just before humans’ arrival on the chain of the isolated islands. Some researchers are of the view that humans’ arrival might have forced the species into extinction thousands of years ago.

Earth’s Moon shifted off its axis a billion years ago: researchers say

A team of planetary scientists has proposed a new theory stating that the Moon, Earth’s natural satellite, has shifted off its original axis by roughly 6 degrees over the course of a billion years. This shift might have happened due to violent volcanic activity, nearly three billion years ago. Southern Methodist University, Dallas Planetary scientist Matt Siegler and his team has worked on the project.

After checking data collected by NASA missions, Siegler added giant mass of molten material could have caused a change in internal balance of lunar center of gravity. The study has been published in the journal Nature.

Medicare to fund diabetes prevention programs

HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell has announced that a change has been made in Medicare policy to allow it to cover diabetes prevention programs as well. The policy change will represent an expansion of the model funded by the CMS Innovation Center. Details of how reimbursement will work will be spelled out in the 2017 Medicare physician fee schedule. The physician fee schedule will be made public this summer.

The decision was announced yesterday at a YMCA event in Washington DC. YMCA in the USA was a partner in the $11.8 million project that enrolled Medicare beneficiaries with risk for type 2 diabetes in the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP).

FDA approves Cinqair for severe asthma

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday approved Teva Pharmaceuticals’ Cinqair (reslizumab) for the treatment of severe asthma, after a study showed promising results.

Approving the drug, FDA said adult patients might take Cinqair together with other medicines for the treatment and maintenance of severe asthma. Asthmatic patients who have a history of severe attacks are expected to get significant respite from the supportive drug.

FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation & Research Director Badrul Chowdhury said, “Health care providers and their patients with severe asthma now have another treatment option to consider when the disease is not well controlled by their current asthma therapies.”

Researchers find link between road rage and cat parasite

A serious brain infection caused by the toxoplasmosis parasite that is found in cat feces might be responsible for out of control, fiery bouts of anger such a road rage, according to a new research.

A team of researchers led by Chicago University’s Dr. Emil Coccaro studied more than 350 adults suffering from a psychiatric disorder called Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), and found that such individuals were twice as prone to have been infected by the toxoplasmosis parasite as compared with other individuals.

Illinois to observe World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will observe World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on Thursday, March 24, to raise awareness about the potentially life-threatening disease.

The state health department’s decision is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO), which is also commemorating World TB Day this Thursday by encouraging countries and organizations to “Unite to End Tuberculosis” in wake of increases in TB cases in 2015.

Last year, a total of 344 cases of TB took place in Illinois. It was the first year Illinois reported a rise in the number of TB cases since 2005. But, health officials said they were particularly worried about a single case of extensively drug resistant TB.

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