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New research shows that lifelong excess weight almost doubles a woman's risk of developing womb cancer. The findings of the study were published in 'BMC Medicine'. The study from the University of Bristol is one of the first to find that for every fiver extra BMI units, a woman's risk of womb (endometrial) cancer is almost doubled (an increase of 88 per cent). This is higher than most previous studies have suggested and reflects lifelong weight status rather than a snapshot in time like most other studies. Five BMI units is the difference between the overweight category and the obese category, or of a 5'5 adult woman being two stones heavier. The international study looked at genetic samples from around 120,000 women from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Sweden, the UK, and the USA of which around 13,000 had womb cancer. This large statistical analysis is one of the first studies of its kind to look at the effect of lifelong greater BMI on womb cancer risk.

Are you feeling overwhelmed about the MCAT? You're not alone! The MCAT is a challenging test that can feel daunting for even the best students. But don't worry, this article is here to help. This blog post will discuss six clever strategies that will help you pass the MCAT successfully. Follow these tips and you'll be on your way to achieving your dream score. ENROLL IN A PREP COURSE One of the first things you should do when preparing for the MCAT is to enroll in a prep course. Keep in mind that the right MCAT prep course will provide you with the resources and support you need to succeed. Additionally, it can help to take practice tests under simulated testing conditions. This will help you get used to the format of the test and reduce your anxiety on test day. In choosing a prep course, make sure to pick one that is reputable and has a good track record. You should also make sure that the course is affordable and offers a schedule that fits your needs. If possible, you can also take practice tests that are offered by the course. This way, you can get an idea of the type of questions that will be on the test. JOIN A STUDY GROUP Many people find that studying in a group is more effective than studying alone. When you join a study group, you'll have the opportunity to discuss difficult concepts with your peers. Additionally, you'll be able to hold each other accountable and stay on track with your studies. If you're not sure where to find a study group, ask your friends or classmates if they're interested in forming one. You can also check online forums or look for groups that have already been established.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will jointly launch a new study to gather data on COVID-19 this winter. The Winter COVID-19 Infection Study (WCIS) will run from November 2023 to March 2024, involving up to 200,000 participants, UKHSA has said on Monday (October 2). UKHSA previously commissioned the Coronavirus Infection Survey (CIS), conducted by the ONS in collaboration with scientific study leaders from Oxford University, analysing more than 11.5 million swab tests and 3 million blood tests from April 2020 to March 2023. Meanwhile, the Winter CIS study involves conducting up to 32,000 lateral flow tests weekly, providing vital insights into COVID-19 prevalence in the broader community. The sample will be structured to broadly reflect key population characteristics.

One type of bacteria found in the gut may contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes, while another may protect from the disease, according to early results from an ongoing, prospective study led by investigators at Cedars-Sinai. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Diabetes, found people with higher levels of a bacterium called Coprococcus tended to have higher insulin sensitivity, while those whose microbiomes had higher levels of the bacterium Flavonifractor tended to have lower insulin sensitivity. Mark Goodarzi, the director of the Endocrine Genetics Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, California, is leading an ongoing study that is following and observing people at risk for diabetes to learn whether those with lower levels of these bacteria develop the disease. "The big question we're hoping to address is: Did the microbiome differences cause diabetes, or did diabetes cause the microbiome differences?" said Goodarzi, who is the senior author of the study and principal investigator of the multicenter study called Microbiome and Insulin Longitudinal Evaluation Study (MILES).

A change in medication can benefit patients on blood pressure-lowering therapies significantly more than increasing the dose of their current medication. A recent study from Uppsala University that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) demonstrates this. In this study, four different blood pressure-lowering medications were tested out on 280 individuals over the course of a year. "The effect of a change of medication can be twice as great as the effect of doubling the dose of the patient's current medication. It was clear in our study that certain patients achieved lower blood pressure from one drug than from another. This effect is large enough to be clinically relevant," said Johan Sundstrom, cardiologist and Professor of Epidemiology at Uppsala University, who is the first author of the study. Most Swedes develop high blood pressure sooner or later; more than two million Swedes have high blood pressure at the present time. Only a fifth of them have managed to bring their blood pressure under control through drug therapy, and some studies suggest that only half of them take their blood pressure medication as intended. Could this be because the efficacy and side-effects of the drugs differ from individual to individual?

A study by scientists in a UK university has shown the scale of the prevalence of a condition that can lead to various cardiometabolic diseases. The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal on Tuesday (January 4) has prompted calls for changes to healthcare policy after researchers revealed, for the first time, the scale of the impact of the condition associated with benign tumours that can lead to type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Up to 10 per cent of adults have a benign tumour, or lump, known as an 'adrenal incidentaloma' in their adrenal glands which can be associated with the overproduction of hormones including the stress steroid hormone cortisol that can lead to type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Previous small studies suggested that one in three adrenal incidentalomas produce excess cortisol, a condition called mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS). An international research team led by the University of Birmingham carried out the largest ever prospective study of over 1,305 patients with adrenal incidentalomas to assess their risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes and their cortisol production by comparing patients with and without MACS.

A pioneering study by UCL researchers has found that just three minutes of exposure to deep red light once a week, when delivered in the morning, can significantly improve declining eyesight. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study builds on the team's previous work, which showed daily three-minute exposure to longwave deep red light 'switched on' energy-producing mitochondria cells in the human retina, helping boost naturally declining vision. For this latest study, scientists wanted to establish what effect a single three-minute exposure would have, while also using much lower energy levels than their previous studies. Furthermore, building on separate UCL research in flies that found mitochondria display 'shifting workloads' depending on the time of day, the team compared morning exposure to afternoon exposure.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA)'s Health Education Foundation (HEF) has funded a major study that aimed to test the SPUR tool and evaluate how effective it was at measuring medicines adherence. The study has been published in the British Medical Journal Open. Dr Joshua Wells, a fourth year PhD candidate at Kingston University, who was awarded the NPA bursary, was the lead researcher for the SPUR UK study, under the guidance of Professor Reem Kayyali. Created by Observia, a health research group, SPUR is a self-assessment questionnaire which helps to detect a patient's risk of medicine non-adherence and aims to accurately articulate the reasons for health behaviour. As well as funding from HEF, the study was made possible via a partnership with Kingston University and Kingston Hospital. HEF chair of Trustees, Dr Ian Cubbin, said: "We are delighted that NPA's Health Education Foundation has played a part in such an important study. This research could lead ultimately to a far more personalised, tailored approach to medicines optimisation - recognising that people's medicines behaviour can be highly individual to them."

Ginger is an age-old herb that has had extensive usage in history for its numerous natural therapeutic effects, especially as an "anti-emetic." The best-known proof indicates that ginger is an effective and affordable remedy for nauseatic and vomiting ailments and is safe. The pleasing zesty "kick" from the root of Zingiber officinale, the ginger plant, is what produces ginger ale, ginger tea, sweets, loaves of bread, and many Asian dishes so delicious. Ginger adds an aromatic tang to both sweet and spicy foods. As ginger is frequently suggested for its stomach-settling impacts, you may wonder whether it's a proven way to treat nauseatic ailments naturally. This article reevaluates the efficacy and safety of ginger for nausea and the most promising practices for using it. How does Ginger Help with Nausea? According to PubMed Central, the highly appreciated database from the National Institutes of Health, it's believed that ginger fetches its therapeutic qualities from gingerol, the main bioactive ingredient in fresh ginger, and complementary blends called shogaols, which provide the root its savory flavor. Shogaols are more robust in dried ginger, with 6-shogaol as the primary source of antioxidants. At the same time, gingerols are more plentiful in raw ginger. Some examination has revealed that ginger and its compounds may improve digestive function and speed up stomach emptying feel, relieving nausea. Its anti-inflammatory traits may improve digestive activity and sustain the discharge of blood-pressure-regulating hormones to relax your body and ease nausea. Other Health Benefits of Ginger Being an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and digestive aid, it has been used as a natural treatment for helping to alleviate nausea and other symptoms. It can be used to treat: Heartburn Indigestion Motion sickness Reduce joint pain Soothe sore throats Minimize the duration of colds and flu viruses Ease menstrual cramps Prevent cancer cell growth Improve choleste

The implementation of the 2017 standards for the initial education and training of pharmacy technicians (IETPT) has improved the performance and preparedness for practice among recently registered pharmacy technicians and the wider workforce, according to a new study. Results of the 2023 research study commissioned by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) showed that 72 per cent of pharmacy technicians felt "well prepared" for practice after training. More number of pharmacy technicians in the community pharmacy expressed readiness for practice (82 per cent) than their peers in the hospital pharmacy (64 peer cent). Led by the Centre for Pharmacy Workforce Studies (CPWS) at the University of Manchester and the consultancy service, ICF, the study involved 142 recently registered pharmacy technicians and 21 employers and supervisors of trainees. Overall, 96 per cent of the surveyed respondents believed that the course effectively covered person-centred care, professionalism and professional knowledge and skills.

Pharmacy teams are being encouraged to support the ground-breaking Platform Adaptive trial of Novel antivirals for early treatment of Covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) study by raising awareness among patients. The study aims to find out whether new antiviral treatments can help Covid-19 patients avoid hospital admission and support a quicker recovery. The PANORAMIC trial will allow researchers to gather data on the potential benefits of treatments to patients and will help the NHS to develop plans for rolling out the products to further patients in 2022. Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with certain underlying health conditions can participate in the trial after receiving a positive PCR or lateral flow test result for Covid-19. People who wish to participate in the trial can sign up themselves through the study's website and may be contacted by a member of the clinical team in a general practice that has been set up to deliver the PANORAMIC trial.

In response to the concerning surge in youth vaping, the UK government in January announced its decision to ban disposable vapes as a measure to safeguard the health of children. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that while the long-term impacts of vaping were uncertain, the nicotine present in these products can be highly addictive. Therefore, he emphasised that "marketing vapes to children is not acceptable." Now, there's a stronger reason to crack down on vape sales as a new study has revealed that vaping or the use of e-cigarettes may increase the risk of developing heart failure. The study, which involved 175,000 adults in the United States, found that those who use e-cigarettes were 19 per cent more likely to develop heart failure over a four-year period. Dr Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, lead author of the study, from MedStar Health in Baltimore, underscored that an increasing number of studies are linking e-cigarettes with harmful effects, suggesting vaping "might not be as safe as previously thought." With further research, Dr Bene-Alhasan's team plans to uncover "a lot more about the potential health consequences and improve the information out to the public."

In a new study, men who took phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), such as Viagra (sildenafil; Pfizer), for treatment of erectile dysfunction, were found to be 18 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared to those who did not take the drugs. The results of the population-based cohort study were published in Neurology on 7 February 2024. Researchers at University of Oxford examined IQVIA Medical Research Data UK records of 269,725 men, who were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction between January 2000 and March 2017. None of the participants had any memory or thinking problems at the start of the study and they were followed for an average of 5.1 years. During the study, 749 out of 1,119 participants taking erectile dysfunction drugs developed Alzheimer's disease.

Baby teeth could one day lead to the development of a much-needed tool for identifying children who are at risk for psychological problems, a study by the University of Bristol has concluded. The research has been published in the 'JAMA Network Open' - a monthly journal published by the American Medical Association. The origin of this study traces back several years, when senior author Erin Dunn - a social and psychiatric epidemiologist and an investigator in MGH's Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit - learned about work in the field of anthropology that could help solve a longstanding problem in her own research. She studies the effects of childhood adversity, which research suggested, is responsible for up to one-third of all mental health disorders. Dunn is particularly interested in the timing of these adverse events and in uncovering whether there are sensitive periods during child development when exposure to adversity is particularly harmful.

Covid-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna that use mRNA technology provide the biggest boost to antibody levels when given 10-12 weeks after the second dose, a new study has found. The "COV-Boost" study was cited by UK officials when they announced that Pfizer and Moderna were preferred for use in the country's booster campaign, but the data has only been made publicly available now. The study found that six out of the seven boosters examined enhanced immunity after initial vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine, while all seven increased immunity when given after two doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine. "A third dose will be effective for many of the vaccines we've tested and in many different combinations," Professor Saul Faust, an immunologist at the University of Southampton and the trial's lead, told the media.

A diet supplemented with vitamin D can help support healthy weight loss and reduce fat percentage, a new clinical study revealed. A trial was conducted over a three-month period with 125 overweight and obese Southeastern European Caucasians with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Participants were prescribed vitamin D3 3000 IU/d oral spray supplementation, or a placebo, alongside a calorie-restricted diet programme of 600 kcal less than the total energy expenditure of each individual. The report stated that the group who were prescribed vitamin D witnessed significant improvements in serum 25(OH)D level and a greater reduction in body weight, BMI, and fat percentage in all individuals within this group. The study supported by BetterYou found that with the prevalence of low vitamin D becoming a serious global health problem in all ages, even in areas with natural sun exposure throughout the year, the study shines a light on the importance of vitamin D supplementation.

The widely-held concept that levels of "good" cholesterol in the blood can indicate heart disease risk is not equally true for Blacks and whites, and the measure itself may be of less value than previously thought, according to a U.S. study published on Monday (November 21). Various types of cholesterol are thought to have either healthy or unhealthy effects. Low levels of so-called "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were linked with higher odds for developing cardiac problems in the long-term study - but only in white participants, the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found. In contradiction to what has generally been assumed, low HDL levels did not confer any higher risk of heart disease in Black people, researchers said. Among white people, however, those with HDL levels below 40 milligrams per deciliter had a 22% higher risk for coronary heart disease compared with those whose HDL levels were higher. High HDL levels (above 60 mg/dL), which are thought to be protective, were not linked with lower coronary heart disease risks in either race, researchers found.

A recent study of researchers in the UK have discovered a gene responsible for regulating the consumption of alcohol. This study is based on experiment, centered on the drinking habits of mice.

A recent study of researchers in the UK have discovered a gene responsible for regulating the consumption of alcohol. This study is based on experiment, centered on the drinking habits of mice.

The UK pharmaceutical industry experienced a substantial increase in public trust and favourability during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new poll. This trend appears to be persisting with the study showing a generally favourable view of the sector. The recent survey, conducted by Ipsos and commissioned by Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), represents the third instalment in a series that began in 2021. This ongoing study targets members of the public, healthcare professionals, and parliamentarians. The study once again underscored a favourable perception of the sector with 67 per cent of respondents recognising that the pharmaceutical industry produces safe and effective medicines using cutting-edge technologies. Moreover, a majority agrees that it is a highly innovative field. Seven out of 10 people also trust the sector's readiness to address future pandemics, even as media attention on pharmaceutical companies returns to pre-pandemic levels. However, concerns arise regarding limitations in accessing new medicines due to cost pressures.

More than 5,000 vulnerable people have enrolled for the ground-breaking Platform Adaptive trial of NOvel antiviRals for eArly treatMent of Covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) study on life-saving antivirals. With this the UK is now one step closer to rolling out the innovative medicines, which would help reduce the severity of symptoms and the risk of hospitalisation or death. Success of the study would eventually help to ease pressures on the NHS. Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with certain underlying health conditions can participate in the trial after receiving a positive PCR or lateral flow test result.