The amount of physical activity that women undertake is not linked to their risk of early menopause, according to the largest study ever to investigate this question. Until now, there have been conflicting findings about the relation between physical activity and menopause, with some studies suggesting that women who are very physically active may be […]
2018
Death rates from stroke are declining overall in Europe, but are levelling off or increasing in some countries
New research, published in the European Heart Journal [1], has shown deaths from conditions that affect the blood supply to the brain, such as stroke, are declining overall in Europe but that in some countries the decline is levelling off or death rates are even increasing. Cerebrovascular disease includes strokes, mini-strokes, and narrowing, blockage or […]
Largest study yet shows type of underwear is linked to men’s semen quality; boxer shorts are best
Men who wear boxer shorts have higher sperm concentrations than men who wear tighter fitting underwear, according to new research published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The researchers also found that boxer shorts-wearing men had lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), compared to men who most frequently wore […]
Treatments for cancer and sickle cell disease deplete germ cells in young boys
Scientists have discovered that some treatments for cancer and sickle cell disease can destroy the germ cells that go on to develop into sperm in the testes of young boys. In some pre-pubescent boys, the treatment for sickle cell disease results in complete destruction of all their germ cells, which are called spermatogonia. The study, […]
Researchers map ‘family trees’ of acute myeloid leukaemia for the first time in patients treated with enasidenib
Paris, France: For the first time, a team of international researchers have mapped the family trees of cancer cells in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) to understand how this blood cancer responds to a new drug, enasidenib. The work also explains what happens when a patient stops responding to the treatment, providing important clues about how […]
Sleep disorder linked with changes to brain structure typical of dementia
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with changes to the structure of the brain that are also seen in the early stages of dementia, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal. OSA, where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep stopping breathing, is known to reduce levels of oxygen […]
Fatigue is a common but underestimated symptom of endometriosis
Fatigue is a common but underestimated symptom of endometriosis, according to findings from an international study of over 1100 women, published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The study found that the prevalence of fatigue was more than doubled in women diagnosed with endometriosis compared to those who were […]
New technique provides accurate dating of ancient skeletons
Milan, Italy: Interest in the origins of human populations and their migration routes has increased greatly in recent years. A critical aspect of tracing migration events is dating them. However, the radiocarbon techniques*, that are commonly used to date and analyse DNA from ancient skeletons can be inaccurate and not always possible to apply. Inspired […]
Genomic testing for the causes of stillbirth, fœtal congenital abnormalities and neonatal death can provide hard-to-get answers and should be considered for routine use
Milan, Italy: Pregnancy loss and the death of a new-born baby are devastating events, and as of today around 25% of these perinatal deaths are unexplained despite autopsy. Discovering the cause of such a loss is of great importance for the bereaved parents, both in providing an explanation and in helping them to understand the […]
Individual access to genomic disease risk factors has a beneficial impact on lifestyles
Milan, Italy: Giving personal genomic information to individuals can have a major, long-term effect on their lifestyle, researchers have found. The Finnish GeneRISK study, providing information on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) based on their genome and traditional risk factors to 7,328 people inspired changes for the better in areas such as weight loss […]