Cardiovascular Research:3D scans spot earliest signs of heart disease ♦ Lower systolic blood pressure reduces risk of hypertension complication ♦ Low physical activity responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths

Low physical activity responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths in Argentina Low levels of physical activity are responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths in Argentina.

Lower systolic blood pressure reduces risk of hypertension complication Lowering systolic blood pressure below the currently recommended target can reduce the risk of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the most common complication of high blood pressure.

Favorable one-year clinical outcomes for catheter-based aortic valve replacement with latest generation of device Findings from the PARTNER II Trial, which examined one-year clinical outcomes among high-risk or inoperable patients who received TAVR with the latest generation of balloon-expandable (SAPIEN 3) device, are being released by researchers, suggesting that the new device offers promising outcomes for patients.

Zebrafish study sheds new light on human heart defects Researchers working with zebrafish have published a study providing new insights into the causes of the congenital heart defects associated with a rare developmental disorder. The disorder, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), is estimated to occur in up to one in 10,000 births worldwide. CdLS causes a range of developmental anomalies, both physical and cognitive, and up to 70 percent of people with CdLS have congenital heart defects.

3D scans spot earliest signs of heart disease People with high blood pressure develop changes in their hearts even before symptoms appear, new research shows. These changes are known to put people at risk of dying early, and the new work suggests it is possible for doctors to recognize such signs of heart disease earlier than they can today -- by examining detailed images of the heart.

Health News: Knee and Hip Replacements May Be Bad for the Heart ♦ A single cocaine dose lowers perceptions of sadness and anger ♦ Testosterone changes brain structures

Testosterone changes brain structures in female-to-male transsexuals Brain imaging shows that testosterone therapy given as part of sex reassignment changes the brain structures and the pathway associated with speech and verbal fluency. This result supports research that women in general may deal with speech and interaction differently than men.

Clinical trial shows first treatment for ‘emotional flatness’ associated with schizophrenia Results of a clinical trial seem to show the first effective treatment for the negative symptoms – withdrawal, lack of emotion, and apathy – associated with schizophrenia.

Psychotic patients distinguished from controls while watching movie Alice in Wonderland Researchers using fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) have found that even first-episode psychotic patients process information differently from a control group. To ensure both groups experienced the same brain stimuli, the measurements were taken while the subjects watched a movie, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

Knee and Hip Replacements May Be Bad for the Heart Contrary to recent reports, researchers found that osteoarthritis patients who had total knee or hip joint replacement surgery, known as arthroplasty, were at increased risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction) in the early postoperative period. However, findings indicate that long-term risk of heart attack did not persist, while the risk for venous thromboembolism -- blood clot in veins and lungs -- remained years after the procedure

A single cocaine dose lowers perceptions of sadness and anger A single dose of cocaine can interfere with the ability to recognize negative emotions such as anger and sadness.

Health News:President declares policy for ‘responsible use’ of antibiotics ♦ illness outbreak strikes 55 people ♦ South Carolina boy ,2, dies of E. coli complications ♦ Build replacement kidneys in the lab

President declares federal policy for ‘responsible use’ of antibiotics in food production According to a memorandum signed by President Obama on Tuesday, it is now the policy of the federal government to encourage responsible use of antibiotics in the production of meat and poultry. The memorandum directs federal departments to create a preference for acquiring them.

illness outbreak strikes 55 people staying at homeless shelter l At least 50 people were taken to hospitals Sunday night after an apparent foodborne illness outbreak struck a homeless shelter in Salt Lake City, UT, Those sickened included men, women and three children from the Road Home shelter, were experiencing vomiting and nausea.

South Carolina boy ,2, dies of E. coli complications A 2-year-old boy from Greenwood, SC, has died from complications related to E. coli infection, according to Greenwood County Coroner Sonny Cox. Myles Mayfield reportedly died Sunday night at Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Tests of canned food brands reveal most have controversial chemical in can lining  Bisphenol-A, or BPA, a chemical component found in plastic bottles and canned food liners, has long courted controversy over its alleged health risks. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has maintained that it is safe environmental groups contend that the synthetic compound may cause health complications in humans.

New discoveries advance efforts to build replacement kidneys in the lab Researchers are making progress in their quest to build replacement kidneys in the lab by using the more than 2,600 kidneys that are donated each year, but must be discarded due to abnormalities.The scientists aim to 'recycle' these organs to engineer tailor-made replacement kidneys for patients.