Health News: Salmonella outbreak linked to Texas community church luncheon ♦ Surgeons restore hand, arm movement to quadriplegic patients ♦ Environmental memories transmitted from a father to his grandchildren

Salmonella outbreak linked to Texas community church luncheon At least 30 people were reportedly sickened following a recent community meal at a church northwest of Weatherford in Parker County, TX. Several of them, including children, were admitted to local hospitals, according to family members. Symptoms being reported included kidney problems and dehydration. ..

Opposites don't attract when learning how to use a prosthesis Upper limb amputees, who typically struggle to learn how to use a new prosthesis, would be more successful if fellow amputees taught them. Most usually learn by watching a non-amputee demonstrate the device during physical therapy and rehabilitation sessions. A study that measured arm movements and analyzed brain patterns found that people do better when they learn from someone who looks like them.

Surgeons restore hand, arm movement to quadriplegic patients A pioneering surgical technique has restored some hand and arm movement to patients immobilized by spinal cord injuries in the neck, reports a new study. The researchers assessed outcomes of nerve-transfer surgery in nine quadriplegic patients with spinal cord injuries in the neck. Every patient in the study reported improved hand and arm function.

Environmental memories transmitted from a father to his grandchildren If you have diabetes, or cancer or even heart problems, maybe you should blame it on your dad's behavior or environment. Or even your grandfather's. That's because, in recent years, scientists have shown that, before his offspring are even conceived, a father's life experiences involving food, drugs, exposure to toxic products and even stress can affect the development and health not only of his children, but even of his grandchildren. Scientists think that they have now found a key part of the molecular puzzle. They have discovered that proteins known as histones, which have attracted relatively little attention until now, may play a crucial role in the process.

Study ties restless legs syndrome to heart, kidney problems Those with restless legs syndrome are at higher risk for stroke, heart and kidney disease, and earlier death, a database study of Veterans found. Studies in the past had suggested such links, but the new research provides the strongest evidence yet.

Cardiovascular Research:Researchers identify new genetic cause of arrhythmia ♦ Restless legs syndrome to increased risk of stroke ♦ New genetic mutation in aortic disease allows better diagnosis

Researchers identify new genetic cause of arrhythmia and develop therapy A rare and deadly form of inherited arrhythmia has been identified by researchers, who have developed a method to treat it. Arrhythmia is a malfunction of the heart's electrical system that causes irregular heartbeats.  

Study links severe restless legs syndrome to increased risk of stroke Increased restless legs syndrome severity is associated with subsequent increased risk of stroke, researchers report. The study group comprised 72,916 female registered nurses ages 41-58 years in 2005, free of diabetes, stroke, and pregnancy at the baseline.

Discovery of new genetic mutation in aortic disease allows better diagnosis and brings personalised medicine a step closer Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD), an enlargement or tearing of the walls of the aorta in the chest, is, together with abdominal aortic aneurysms, responsible for about 2% of all deaths in Western countries. The aorta is the largest artery in the body, and carries blood from the heart. About one out of every five patients with TAAD has a family member with the same disorder, therefore indicating a genetic cause.  However, the relevant genetic mutations discovered so far only explain about 30% of all cases

. Images reveal structure of heart cells that may hold heart attack clues Newly released images revealing the 'bicycle spoke' structure of a heart cell may hold key clues to reducing damage from a heart attack. Using a novel type of electron microscopy, researchers produced 3D images of a healthy heart cell at nanoscopic scale which shows part of their structure is arranged like spokes on a wheel.