Today’s dose has carnivorous plants, restless legs, and sickle cell disease — plenty of interesting news to “recognize and report,” as the FDA would say.

— Researchers say that sickle cell disease may result in worsened cognitive function among adults. In the study, researchers gave patients with mild symptoms of sickle cell disease a nonverbal IQ test. They found that sickle cell-affected people scored in the normal range on average, but twice as many sickle cell sufferers scored below average compared to controls. (SF Chronicle)

— The New York City transit slogan “If you see something, say something” may now be the maxim for doctors, too. The US Food and Drug Administration yesterday called on physicians to notify the agency of any drug advertisements that violate its standards. But the regulatory agency has come up with its own catchy motto: “Recognize and report.” (NPR)

— Restless legs might mean a restless family tree, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed nearly 700 people with restless leg syndrome, and found that their brothers and sisters were nearly four times as likely to have the disease compared to control individuals; children of those with the disorder were almost twice as likely to be affected. (Reuters)

— The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced 78 grants in the fourth round of its Grand Challenges Explorations initiative. Among the health-related projects receiving $100,000 each is a cell-phone microscope to diagnose malaria, an insecticide-treated scarf, and a plan to use carnivorous plants against disease-carrying mosquitoes. (Reuters)

Image by Brymo via Flickr Creative Commons