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Babies born in the autumn months could be at a greater risk of developing childhood asthma, according to new research.

A recent US study of more than 95,000 children indicated that infants born in the early months of autumn seemed particularly prone to respiratory viral infections.

Researcher Dr Tina Hartert, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, said there may be "short and long-term benefits" to avoiding conceiving in December and January.

"All infants are exposed to this and it is potentially preventable," she said.

"Still, we must prove whether preventing these respiratory tract infections will prevent a lifetime chronic disease."

Previous research has suggested that children born in these months are at a greater risk of developing the condition.
However, this study - published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - was the first to link the trend to heavy viral activity in the winter months.

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A pet Rottweiler has prompted his owner to go for a medical check after ’sniffing out’ his skin cancer.

Chris Tuffrey, from Banbury, noted that his pooch Beamish was repeatedly nuzzling and licking an area on his chest, reports the BBC.

He explained that he has had a mole in the area for around 15 years but had never attached any great significance to it.

However, after becoming concerned about issue, Mr Tuffrey visited his doctor, who immediately referred him to Oxford’s Churchill Hospital.

Within two weeks, melanoma was confirmed and the cancerous mole was removed.

”He’s absolutely brilliant," Mr Tuffrey said.

"He’s a very laid back dog, and I shall be grateful to him for the rest of my life.”

Scientists have noted similar results from dogs in the past.

During trials, dogs have been able to detect cancers in the urine of patients despite medical tests giving negative results.

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Banning advertisements for fast food would substantially reduce levels of childhood obesity, it has been claimed.

A new study conducted in the US has aimed to illustrate how damaging such commercials can be to youngster’s health.

The researchers have pointed out that scrapping fast food ads would reduce the number of obese youngsters by 18 per cent and older children by 14 per cent,

Lisa Powell, a researcher at the University of Illinois, noted that around 23 per cent of commercials viewed by children are food-related, which means young people potentially see such ads tens of thousands of times a year.

A 2006 report from the Institute of Medicine, said the link was a realistic possibility, but concluded more proof was needed.

Study co-author Michael Grossman, from City University of New York, said that the research was "evidence of that link".

McDonald’s has referred questions about the findings to the National Council of Chain Restaurants.

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Improved treatment for bowel cancer could be on the way thanks to a recent study, it has been reported.

Researchers in Cardiff and Glasgow have ascertained how bowel cancer becomes increasingly aggressive.

They identified three proteins which, when combined, stimulate tumours and make them more likely to spread.

Professor Alan Clarke, a Cancer Research UK scientist at the Cardiff School of Biosciences, said the research provides an illustration of how the disease progresses.

"This has given us a clearer picture of how bowel tumours actually grow and provides scientists with crucial information for drug design to slow down or stop the spread of the disease," he said.

Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK added that bowel cancer – one of the most common forms of the disease – is much more problematic to treat when it becomes advanced.

Cancer Research UK concluded that the research was "fundamental" to understanding the disease.

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Drinking just three cups of green tea a day could help to fight obesity, according to new research.
A study conducted at Queensland University indicated that the drink could reduce blood pressure and improve the body’s ability to process sugar.
The researchers claim that this could keep obesity at bay, even if a person continues to eat junk food.

According to the team, green tea is effective as it stops cells from releasing chemical signals that attract more fat, causing them to increase in size.


Commenting on the findings, lead researcher Dr Lindsay Brown said: "If someone had told me you could do all these things with something as simple as green tea with olive extract I would say they’d been out in the sun too long. It is simply amazing."

Previous studies into green tea have revealed that it may be able to reduce appetite, lower cholesterol and even reduce the risk of some cancers.

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Those people with asthma and other respiratory problems are set to benefit from a new air quality scheme.

Launched in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire today, airAlert is a free service which monitors the quality of air, reports Bedford Today.

It works by sending a message to a mobile or home telephone which gives advance warning of poor air quality – enabling asthma suffers to take the necessary precautions.

The Herts And Beds Air Quality Network has received funding from NHS Luton to help launch the project.

Councillor Don Worlding, said the system has been designed to help people with serious respiratory problems "manage their lives".

"If high pollution is expected because of unusual weather conditions for example, anyone using the system can ensure they are carrying extra medicines or even choose to stay at home" he said.

In Luton, there can be between 15 and 35 episodes of high pollution levels each year.

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London is to get new specialist stroke units as part of a government drive to improve services in the capital.

As part of the London Stroke Strategy, the new units will ensure all patients are never more than 30-minutes’ travelling distance from their nearest treatment facility.

It is hoped that the development could save up to 400 lives every year, as well as offering a high level of independence to thousands more sufferers.

Healthcare for London clinical lead for stroke and consultant nephrologist, Dr Chris Streather, said stroke care in the capital is failing some patients, a situation which he deemed "unacceptable".

"Today’s announcement is a major step in the transformation of stroke services that will start to take shape over the coming year. We have seen similar advances in cardiac services and it is now critical that stroke, the second-biggest cause of death in London, undergoes a similar step-change," he said.

The move has been welcomed by the Stroke Association, which states that every stroke patient deserves "excellent care".

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Millions of people will be screened for pre-diabetes from next year, as part of a new government drive to prevent the disease.

As part of the largest preventive initiative in the history of the NHS, half of all patients over 40 will be placed on some form of cardiovascular medication, reports Pulse.

It is believed that the programme will cost around £332 million a year, but the Department of Health maintains it will be hugely cost-effective in the coming years.

The five-yearly vascular checks are expected to necessitate the equivalent of an extra 1,000 GPs, practice nurses and healthcare assistants by 2012.

Dr Matt Kearney, a GP in Runcorn, Cheshire, and a public health practitioner at Knowsley PCT, said he believed the majority of practices in the area would sign up for the initiative.

"I think GPs have seen the opportunity to make a real difference to patient outcomes," he said.

The programme is to be phased in over a four-year period.

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There has been a significant improvement in meeting waiting time targets for cancer patients, NHS Highland has claimed.

Recent figures revealed that the Scottish NHS was struggling to hit the required targets which were set in 2005.

However, more than 95 per cent who were urgently referred by their doctors received the appropriate treatment within 62 days between April and June this year.

Furthermore, some 85 per cent of breast cancer patients were treated 31 days after diagnosis, but the target for such patients still stands at 100 per cent for that period of time.

Cancer network manager Christine McIntosh said: "Clinical and support staff are putting in a lot of effort to ensure as few delays as possible for patients who have been referred to breast services, and are often very anxious."

She added that it was "rewarding" to see that such efforts were making a significant difference for cancer patients.

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Exercise and sleep can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, according to recent research.

A study conducted over a ten-year period revealed that women who were physically active were less prone to the disease.

The results indicated that women who took the most amount of exercise were up to 25 per cent less likely to have developed cancer.

However, the researchers from the US government-funded National Cancer Institute also noted that getting less than seven hours sleep a night negated the effects of the exercise.

The government recently advised that moderate exercise such as brisk walking, gardening or mowing the lawn is enough to keep you fit, but exercise physiologist Gary O’Donovan said this was misleading.

Dr O’Donovan, a fellow of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, said: "Time and again, the largest and most robust studies have shown that vigorously-active individuals live longer and enjoy a better quality of life than moderately-active individuals and couch potatoes."

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