"Bagged salad can fuel the growth of food-poisoning bugs like salmonella and make them more dangerous," BBC News reports. Researchers found evidence that the environment inside a salad bag offers an ideal breeding ground for salmonella, a type of bacteria that is a leading cause of food poisoning. They grew salmonella in salad juice and leaves at
"Couples can find out their chances of having a baby over multiple cycles of IVF treatment using a new online calculator," BBC News reports. The calculator is designed to predict the success of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) – often used when a woman has a fertility problem – or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which is used when a
"Why you should take vitamin D as you get older: High doses reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses by 40%," the Mail Online reports. Researchers in Colorado investigated whether a high dose of vitamin D in older adults living in long term care facilities could reduce their risk of acute respiratory (lung) infections, such as pneumonia.
"Inability to store fat safely increases diabetes risk," BBC News reports. Researchers have found links between genetic variations known to affect the storage of fat in the body and type 2 diabetes, as well as heart attacks and strokes. People can store fat tissue in different ways, such as in their legs and arms. While
"Patients are a fifth more likely to die on wards where nurses have been replaced by untrained staff, a major study has found," the Daily Mail reports. This latest research into 243 hospitals across Europe found those with more professional nurses, compared to nursing assistants, had lower death rates after surgery and were rated more highly
"A new four-point test has fine-tuned smell exams to check for Alzheimer’s," the Mail Online reports. The testing is based on recognising and then recalling certain distinct smells, such as lemon or menthol. Some people who scored badly on the test were later found to have early signs associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research has
"A person’s chances of falling ill from a new strain of flu are at least partly determined by the first strain they ever encountered, a study suggests," BBC News reports. Researchers created a modelling study, based on historic data, which aimed to look at the reasons why past flu epidemics of influenza A – commonly referred
"Probiotics found in yoghurt and supplements could help improve thinking and memory for people with Alzheimer’s disease," The Daily Telegraph reports after a small study found people given the bacterial supplement had improved scores on brain function tests. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts promoted as having various health benefits, and are often added to yoghurt.
"Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’," BBC News reports. A study of adults with a scouting or guiding background found they were less likely to be anxious or depressed in later life. But the difference in average mental health scores was quite small (2.2 points on a 1 to 100 scale). About
"Vaping raises likelihood of teenagers starting to smoke, study suggests," The Guardian reports. A study of US teens found those who regularly vaped were more likely to progress to tobacco smoking than their non-vaping peers. The study used questionnaires to assess e-cigarette and cigarette use in 3,000 adolescents aged 15. The teenagers completed questionnaires twice: at
Most Commented