Heart structural gene causes sudden cardiac death in animal model ♦ Drugging the microbiome may treat heart disease ♦ Hypertension-related visits to emergency rooms on rise in US

Heart structural gene causes sudden cardiac death in animal model The presence or absence of the CAP2 gene causes sudden cardiac death in mice. In particular, the absence of the gene interrupts the animal's ability to send electrical signals to the heart to tell it to contract, a condition called cardiac conduction disease. Since humans have the same CAP2 gene, what we learn from the mice could advance our understanding of heart disease.

Drugging the microbiome may treat heart disease A first-of-a-kind drug that interferes with the metabolic activity of gut microbes could one day treat heart disease in humans, according to a mouse study. Dietary supplementation with a compound that is naturally abundant in red wine and olive oil prevented gut microbes from turning unhealthy foods into metabolic byproducts that clog arteries

Hypertension-related visits to emergency rooms on rise in US The number and percentage of patients treated at emergency departments for hypertension are on the rise across the United States.

Chances of good outcome after stroke reduced by delays in restoring blood flow Delays in restoring blood flow after a stroke were associated with decreased benefits of intra-arterial clot-busting treatment and reduced chances for a good outcome.

Health Research: Crime-scene compound may be newest tool in fight against malaria ♦ First steps towards preventing suicide attempts by offenders

Study looks at Google Glass to bring toxicology specialists to remote emergency rooms Google Glass, a head-mounted streaming audio/video device, may be used to effectively extend bed-side toxicology consults to distant health care facilities such as community and rural hospitals to diagnose and manage poisoned patients.

Crime-scene compound may be newest tool in fight against malaria The compound that detectives spray at crime scenes to find trace amounts of blood may one day be used to kill the malaria parasite.

Study shows how aging cripples the immune system, suggesting benefits of antioxidants Scientists have shown how aging cripples the production of new immune cells, decreasing the immune system's response to vaccines and putting the elderly at risk of infection.

Promising drug for Parkinson's disease: Study supports fast track to clinical trials  A drug which has already been in use for decades to treat liver disease could be an effective treatment to slow down progression of Parkinson's disease.

First steps towards preventing suicide attempts by offenders While the risk of suicide by offenders in prison has been identified as a priority for action, understanding and preventing suicides among offenders after release has received far less attention.