ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Patients with atrial fibrillation at higher risk of developing dementia when meds are out of range
• Plugging leaky blood vessels to save vision
• Cardiac screening test may help determine who should take aspirin to prevent heart attack
• Autism-related protein shown to play vital role in addiction
• Rare, childhood neurodegenerative diseases linked to common problem in DNA repair
• Gene behind highly prevalent facial anomaly found
• Quick test can help spot depressed teenagers, nursing researcher finds
• Burning issue of hydrocarbons, impacts on human health
• New type of heredity described in Paramecia, linked to epigenetics
• Leadless Pacemaker Showing Promising Results After One Year
• Eating more fruits, vegetables may cut stroke risk worldwide

Patients with atrial fibrillation at higher risk of developing dementia when meds are out of range Posted: 09 May 2014 05:38 PM PDT Atrial fibrillation patients who are on blood thinning medications are at higher risk of developing dementia if their doses are not in the optimal recommended range.

Plugging leaky blood vessels to save vision Posted: 09 May 2014 02:29 PM PDT A new drug approach has been developed for safer clean-up of deformed blood vessels in the eye. The growth of malformed blood vessels that can burst is a leading cause of vision loss in North America. Retinopathy and retina degeneration are associated with premature birth, with diabetes, and with increasing age. This research shows both safety and effectiveness in their bioengineered compound when treating retinopathy in mice.

Cardiac screening test may help determine who should take aspirin to prevent heart attack Posted: 09 May 2014 02:29 PM PDT 'Many heart attacks and strokes occur in individuals who do not appear to be at high risk,' researchers report following a recent study. 'Individuals with known CVD [cardiovascular disease] should take a daily aspirin, but the best approach for individuals without known CVD is unclear. If we only treat high-risk individuals with aspirin, we are going to miss a substantial portion of patients who eventually suffer heart attacks.'

Autism-related protein shown to play vital role in addiction Posted: 09 May 2014 02:29 PM PDT A gene essential for normal brain development, and previously linked to Autism Spectrum Disorders, also plays a critical role in addiction-related behaviors, researchers report. The team used animal models to show that the fragile X mental retardation protein, or FMRP, plays a critical role in the development of addiction-related behaviors. FMRP is also the protein that is missing in Fragile X Syndrome, the leading single-gene cause of autism and intellectual disability.

Rare, childhood neurodegenerative diseases linked to common problem in DNA repair Posted: 09 May 2014 02:25 PM PDT Two rare, inherited childhood neurodegenerative disorders are being studied by researchers who have identified a new, possibly common source of DNA damage that may play a role in other neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and aging. Researchers showed for the first time that an enzyme required for normal DNA functioning causes DNA damage in the developing brain. DNA is the molecule found in nearly every cell that carries the instructions needed to assemble and sustain life.

Gene behind highly prevalent facial anomaly found Posted: 09 May 2014 02:25 PM PDT A genetic cause of a facial disorder known as hemifacial microsomia (HFM) has been discovered by scientists. The researchers find that duplication of the gene OTX2 induces HFM, the second-most common facial anomaly after cleft lip and palate. HFM affects approximately one in 3,500 births. While some cases appear to run in families, no gene had been found to be causative -- until now.

Quick test can help spot depressed teenagers, nursing researcher finds Posted: 09 May 2014 10:16 AM PDT A nurse practitioner recently examined available research to determine whether nurse practitioners and others in primary care settings should add a mental health screening to well visits for teenage patients. The conclusion was that a simple paper test called a CES-DC would be a reliable, quick way of determining whether the practitioner should refer a teen for mental health support.

Burning issue of hydrocarbons, impacts on human health Posted: 09 May 2014 10:15 AM PDT Methods to identify metabolites of PAHs and NPAHs, found in hydrocarbons, in urine and blood are being developed by researchers. Researchers are also seeking the most sensitive method for measuring PAHs and NPAHs, showing that motorcycle engines released more particulate matter than automobiles.

New type of heredity described in Paramecia, linked to epigenetics Posted: 09 May 2014 09:59 AM PDT Considered as an obsolete theory for many years, the transmission of acquired traits has returned to the forefront of debate thanks to the development of epigenetic research. In this context, a team of researchers has described how in Paramecia, mating types are transmitted from generation to generation through an unexpected mechanism. A Paramecium can acquire a new mating type that will be inherited by its progeny without any genetic modification being involved.

Leadless Pacemaker Showing Promising Results After One Year Posted: 09 May 2014 09:59 AM PDT 12-month follow-up data demonstrates that the world's first leadless pacemaker is having overall device performance comparable to conventional pacemakers. The miniature-sized, leadless cardiac pacemaker is placed directly inside a patient's heart without surgery during a catheter-guided procedure through the groin via the femoral vein. The device, resembling a tiny, metal silver tube and smaller than a triple-A battery, is only a few centimeters in length, making it less than ten percent the size of a traditional pacemaker.

Eating more fruits, vegetables may cut stroke risk worldwide Posted: 08 May 2014 02:22 PM PDT Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of stroke worldwide, according to a new analysis of 20 studies conducted in Europe, the United States and Asia. The American Heart Association advises the average adult to eat four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables daily, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A diet rich in a variety of colors and types of vegetables and fruits is a way of getting important nutrients that most people don't get enough of, including vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. They are also naturally low in saturated fat.

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