Robotic-assisted prostatectomy is providing the same results for urinary and erectile function as open prostatectomy.
News Australia
Consuming Oranges Can Reduce Risk Of Macular Degeneration
A new study shows that people who often consume oranges are less likely to develop macular degeneration than people who do not eat oranges.
More than 2,000 Australian adults over the age of 50 were interviewed by researchers from the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. They were also followed over a 15-year period.
Results showed that those who ate at least one serving of oranges daily had more than a 60% lowered risk of developing late macular degeneration after 15 years later.
“Even eating an orange once a week seems to offer significant benefits,” said lead researcher Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath from the University of Sydney
“The data shows that flavonoids found in oranges appear to help protect against the disease.”
According to Associate Professor Gopinath, most research has focused on the effects of common nutrients, such as vitamins C, E and A on the eyes.
“Our research is different because we focused on the relationship between flavonoids and macular degeneration.
“Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants found in almost all fruits and vegetables, and they have important anti-inflammatory benefits for the immune system.”
They examined common foods that contain flavonoids, such as tea, apples, red wine and oranges.
“Significantly, the data did not show a relationship between other food sources protecting the eyes against the disease,” she said.
Age is the number one known risk factor of macular degeneration.
The disease usually occurs in people over 50 years old and one in seven Australians over 50 show some signs of it.
Currently, there is no available cure for macular degeneration.
Data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which is a population-based study that began in 1992, were gathered by the researchers.
It is considered to be one of the world’s largest epidemiology studies that measure factors, such as diet and lifestyle, and how they affect health outcomes.
Associate Professor Gopinath concluded, “Our research aims to understand why eye diseases occur, as well as the genetic and environmental conditions that may threaten vision.”
Revolutionary New Blood Test That May Immediately Detect Lung Cancer
A new revolutionary blood test that can help in the early detection of lung cancer among smokers has been engineered by a team of scientists from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in France.
The test can identify 63% of future lung cancer patients among current or former smokers.
It analyzes four specific protein biomarkers found in the blood that can indicate a person’s risk of developing lung cancer.
Scientists state that these biomarkers could be a huge help in discerning which smokers are most likely to benefit from lung cancer screening like low-dose radiation computed tomography (CT) scans.
Smokers have better chances in getting an early diagnosis if they are tested early for lung cancer.
Cancer Council Australia CEO Professor Sanchia Aranda stated that with an early diagnosis, patients can immediately start treatment.
She told AAP, “If you can screen the healthy individuals who would be eligible for surgery and get them into surgery earlier, then their chances of survival just increases automatically.”
Doctors can suggest patients to undergo low-dose CT scans to identify early tumours in their lungs.
Still, Professor Aranda said that the CT scans sometimes lead to unnecessary biopsies due to several types of nodules that aren’t necessarily harmful.
She added that undergoing an initial blood test to examine a person’s chances of developing lung cancer would help boost the selection criteria for patients who require CT scans.
Professor Aranda is urging the Australian government to dedicate more funding for lung cancer research.
Lung cancer is Australia’s number one cancer killer.
According to Cancer Council Australia, it is responsible for almost almost one-in-five cancer deaths. In 2015, 8,466 Australians died from the disease.
Until now, Australia doesn’t have a national screening program for lung cancer.
The IARC recently published their findings in the JAMA Oncology journal.
HIV Defends Itself Against Immune Attack
Scientists from UNSW Sydney and the UK have found that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) takes over a tiny molecule, known as inositol hexakisphosphate, from the host cell to shield itself from destruction.
Hospital Staff Don’t Comply With Hand Hygiene Guidelines
A study conducted by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has revealed that hospital staff don’t pay much attention to hand hygiene, especially when no one is watching.
Researchers Examined Brain’s Responses in Visual Threats
Researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) conducted an integrative study on how the brain identifies and reacts to threats, specifically in zebrafish.
Sleep Apnea May Increase the Risk of Dementia
The link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and dementia in older adults has been the focus of a recent study that was published in the European Respiratory Journal.
Goji Berry Compound Could Possibly Cure Two Fatal Tropical Diseases
A new drug compound extracted from the goji berry plant, known as 7-keto-sempervirol, has been developed by a team of researchers from two Welsh universities led by Professor Andrew Westwell.
Is Medicinal Cannabis Ineffective In Treating Chronic Pain?
A comprehensive four-year study on medicinal cannabis was conducted by researchers from the University of News South Wales (UNSW) Sydney and discovered that the drug doesn’t effectively alleviate chronic non-cancer pain in patients.
Australian GPs Need More Education On Medicinal Cannabis
There are many calls for GPs to be authorised and to be more educated in prescribing medicinal cannabis to their patients for cancer pain, palliative care and epilepsy.