Paris, France: Evidence of tiny particles of carbon, typically created by burning fossil fuels, has been found in placentas for the first time, in new research presented today at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Previous research has indicated links between pregnant mothers’ exposure to air pollution and premature birth, low birth weight, infant […]
Children with asthma are less likely to finish school and to work in non-manual occupations
Paris, France: People who suffer with persistent asthma from a young age are more likely to leave school at 16 years old and those who make it to university are more likely to drop out early, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. The research also suggests that when […]
People with asthma at higher risk of becoming obese
Paris, France: Obesity is known to be a risk factor for developing asthma but a new study shows that the reverse is also true: people with asthma are more likely to go on to become obese. The new research, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1], indicates that those who develop asthma as […]
Bacteria passed on in the womb is linked to premature birth and breathing difficulties but could be safely treated with antibiotics
Paris, France: Babies born very prematurely are more likely to harbour Ureaplasma bacteria, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Ureaplasma bacteria are often present in the birth canal but they are unusually small and difficult to detect. The bacteria can be passed on to babies during pregnancy or […]
Elevated blood pressure is linked to increased risk of aortic valve disease: analysis of 5.4 million adults
People who have long-term raised blood pressure have an increased risk of aortic valve disease (AVD) – problems with the valve that controls how blood is pumped from the left ventricle of the heart out into the main artery, the aorta. In a study of 5.4 million adults in the UK, published in the European […]
Study of more than 107,000 women shows exercise is unrelated to risk of early menopause
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 […]
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 […]