Other stories in brief...
BEAT BOWEL CANCER:An hour of vigorous exercise a day can lower the risk of bowel cancer, according to a study of more than 413,000 people in 10 European countries. Even cleaning the house or two hours of less strenuous activity can make a difference.
"This study is significant because of its very large sample size and the different levels of activity that were observed across the European countries," said Dr Christine Friedenreich, lead author of the research, from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France.
A team of international scientists analysed the impact of physical activity on the risk of colon cancer and found people with the highest levels of exercise were 22 per cent less likely to develop it. The reduced risk was higher, up to 35 per cent, for tumours on the right side of the colon.
Although exercise had the biggest impact in cutting cancer risk in people of normal weight, it was also beneficial to a lesser extent in men and women who were overweight or obese. Exercise did not have a protective effect against rectal cancer.
NEW €2.5M ICU FACILITY AT TEMPLE STREET:A new intensive care unit has officially opened at Temple Street Children's Hospital, Dublin. The nine-bed facility is expected to admit around 500 patients per year - 70 per cent from within the hospital and 30 per cent via external referrals from other centres. It also provides a 24-hour on-call advice service to all hospitals nationwide. The cost of this new unit is over €2.5 million.
The unit is to provide 24-hour specialised medical and nursing care for critically ill infants and children and their families.
It is hoped that an increased number of isolation cubicles in the new facility will lower the risk of infection.
TREATING ALZHEIMER'S:Drugs designed to combat high blood pressure can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, a study has found. The discovery was made by scientists who screened a variety of readily available drugs to see if any might be useful for treating Alzheimer's symptoms.
Laboratory tests showed that among several hundred promising candidates were seven commonly prescribed medicines for high blood pressure.
One drug - a beta-blocker called propranololo-HCL which is widely prescribed to treat high blood pressure in elderly patients - was particularly effective.
Further research is needed to see if Alzheimer's patients on the drug are suffering fewer symptoms than if they were not taking it. It may be possible to use the compound without affecting blood pressure, say the scientists.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING:A programme of evening lectures at the Milltown Institute, Sandford Road, Dublin 6, aims to raise awareness of contemporary developments in theology, psychology and medical science that identify the spiritual dimensions of illness and that aim to integrate body, mind and spirit.
Under the title Body, Mind, Spirit: Contemporary Approaches to Wellness and Healing the material presented will be based on new approaches to research being pioneered in the USA; and on personal reflection on health/well-being and spirituality issues as they manifest themselves in northern Europe.
The lectures will run on Tuesdays from January 23rd until March 27th from 7.30pm to 10pm and cost €30 each or €250 for the full programme.
STUDENT HEALTH CENTRE OPENS:Cork Institute of Technology has officially opened its new Student Health Centre. This modern facility comprises three doctors' consulting rooms, two nurses' consulting rooms and a sick bay area.
"We offer a comprehensive range of services suitable for students' needs at a nominal charge," said Marian Walsh from the centre. "During term-time it is staffed by seven doctors [three female, four male] working on a sessional basis with expertise in dermatology, sports medicine, sexual health and asthma care."
During peak times there are approximately 10,000 students on the CIT campus. The centre also provides services to constituent colleges, the School of Music and Crawford College of Art & Design."
