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MONDAY, Dec. 28, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- After months of bed rest, then an emergency delivery six weeks early, Maria and Francisco Saldivar were relieved and elated when they saw their baby boy.After months of bed rest, then an emergency delivery six weeks early, Maria and Francisco Saldivar were relieved and elated when they saw their baby boy.Soon, their fears returned. Doctors discovered that Francisco "Frankie" Saldivar Jr. was born with three holes in his heart."We were worried, scared and shocked as first-time parents," Maria recalled."It turned our world upside down," Francisco said.Doctors said the holes might close on their own, so the couple from Orange County, California, tried being optimistic. Indeed, within months, two holes did close.The one that...

MONDAY, Dec. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Compounds in meat may trigger wheezing in some children that can potentially lead to asthma or other respiratory conditions, a new study suggests.These compounds, called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), are released as meat is cooked at high temperatures while grilling, frying or roasting. AGEs attach themselves to cells in the lungs, causing inflammation and an immune system response that can cause wheezing, the study authors explained."Childhood wheeze is often the first manifestation of airway disease, most notably asthma," said lead researcher Dr. Jing Gennie Wang, a pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine doctor at Ohio State University in Columbus."Our study suggests that a diet high in non-seafood meat intake may potentially...

MONDAY, Dec. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Those mussels, oysters and scallops on your plate may come with a secret ingredient: microplastics.Researchers at Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull in the United Kingdom reviewed more than 50 studies (from 2014 to 2020) to investigate the levels of microplastic contamination globally in fish and shellfish.The investigators found that mollusks (such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops) had the highest levels. Mollusks collected off the coasts of Asia were the most heavily contaminated with microplastics. The researchers suggested that these areas are more heavily polluted by plastic. Scientists are still trying to understand the health implications for humans consuming fish and shellfish contaminated with these tiny...

MONDAY, Dec. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to metals may disrupt pregnant women's hormones and boost the odds of complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth and low birth weight, according to a new study.Metals such as nickel, arsenic, cobalt and lead have been associated with pregnancy complications, but it's been unclear why."A delicate hormonal balance orchestrates pregnancy from conception to delivery and perturbations of this balance may negatively impact both mother and fetus," said lead author Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, assistant research professor in the School of Public Health at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.For this study, the researchers analyzed blood and urine samples from 815 women in Puerto Rico. They were enrolled in a long-term study of...