A research team led by Dr  Janet L Stanford, co-director of the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, conducted an investigation in order to determine whether this trend was scientifically measurable. The results were published in the online journal The Prostate.

Scientists recruited more than 1,000 participants into their experiment, all of whom had been diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening disease, which affects approximately 40,000 and kills around 10,000 men in the UK every year. They asked about their medication, and then followed their health outcomes for eight years so that they could cross-reference the data.

Analysts found that the risk of death from prostate cancer was one per cent in the group of subjects who were taking statins. Those patients who were not taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs had a five-times higher chance of fatality.

However, lead author Milan S Geybels MSc, who is based at Maastricht University, explained that the results must be verified through further investigation in order to justify administration of statins as an anti-prostate cancer treatment. Prescribing them needlessly is dangerous, since side-effects like inflammation and insomnia sometimes arise.

He said: "[Statins] cannot be recommended for the prevention of prostate cancer-related death until a preventive effect on mortality from prostate cancer has been demonstrated in a large, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial."

Cholesterol plays an indirect role in the survival of diseased cells, and so taking statins may help to reduce the size of tumours and prevent development of aggressive, fatal growths. However, the exact biological mechanisms behind the apparent link are currently unknown. Geybels said "any compound that could stop or slow the progression of prostate cancer would be beneficial".

The NHS estimates that one-in-500 people are affected by the neurological condition, which is characterised by the loss of nerve cells in the brain structure called the substantia nigra. Limited dopamine production which results is hugely detrimental to wellbeing.

This hormone plays an important biological role in movement, and so low levels can cause difficulties with mobility. Common Parkinson's motor symptoms include tremors, muscle rigidity and bradykinesia.

No cure is available for the condition, so developing effective treatments and working towards this goal is a priority of many medical scientists. New research published in the journal Annals of Neurology reveals diet could play an important role in prevention.

Previous investigation has suggested that usage of certain tobacco products in the Solanaceae plant family was associated with a lower Parkinson's risk. The reason behind this was unknown, but University of Washington academics hypothesised that nicotine could play a role.

Lead author Dr Susan Searles Nielsen and her colleagues recruited 490 patients who had recently been diagnosed with the disease and 644 healthy controls so that they could determine whether the dietary version of the chemical would influence health.

The Solanaceae or nightshade family of plants includes the likes of peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. The nicotine found in these foods has similar health consequences to that found in tobacco products, although concentrations tend to be lower.

After cross-referencing health records with data gathered from questionnaires concerning lifetime smoking and eating habits, the analysts were able to identify a strong association between edible Solanaceae consumption and development of Parkinson's.

Dr Searles Nielsen said: "Similar to the many studies that indicate tobacco use might reduce risk of Parkinson's, our findings also suggest a protective effect from nicotine, or perhaps a similar but less toxic chemical in peppers and tobacco."

As a result, youngsters who ingest the recommended levels of the mineral may be less likely to develop medical problems such as osteoporosis in the future. The risk of serious injury and breakages following falls may also be reduced.

A research team led by Dr Steven A Abrams FAAP, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, recruited 63 healthy children in order to conduct an investigation, determining importance of calcium and magnesium in respect to bone health.

The youngsters were aged between four and eight years old, and were not taking any multivitamins or mineral-replacement pills – this practice may have compromised the reliability of the results and misattributed benefits of the tablets as dietary.

Children involved in the experiment completed food diaries so that the scientists could determine each individual's typical calcium and magnesium consumption intake levels. This allowed them to provide the same amounts when they hospitalised subjects for two non-consecutive nights.

In order to properly calculate the calcium and magnesium consumed, researchers weighed the food and drinks provided after the children were finished. This information was then cross-referenced with data concerning absorption of the nutrients.

This information was gathered with the administration of stable isotopes. The presence of these chemicals in the urine is an indicator of how much calcium and magnesium the body actually utilises rather than expels as waste.

Scientists also compared the results to each child's bone mineral content and density according to readings from total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. They found that magnesium intake was an important indicator of both measures, while calcium was not.

This indicates that integrating magnesium into a child's diet could be more important than including calcium when it comes to maintaining healthy bones. Good sources of the mineral include green leafy vegetables, nuts and fish.

Data from Cancer Research UK reveals that around 10,000 people in the country are diagnosed with this condition every year, while approximately 5,000 lose their lives as a result of the disease.

An estimated three-in-ten cases are of the more serious and aggressive variety – muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This results when cancerous cells spread from the lining of the bladder and start to affect the surrounding muscles.

It is a far more serious condition, with the five-year mortality rate of around 50 per cent. The NHS claims that the rate is 80 to 90 per cent for people with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The treatment involves surgical removal of the organ in a procedure called a cystectomy.

According to UT Southwestern, approximately one-in-three of these patients will experience recurrence. Despite this high prevalence of tumour redevelopment, those affected rarely receive chemotherapy as a follow-up treatment.

This course of strong drugs can help to destroy any remaining diseased cells and reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. However, there are serious side-effects and high costs involved, and this may deter healthcare workers from providing the treatment.

UT Southwestern researchers conducted an investigation in order to determine whether there were biological markers which were predictive of recurrence. They compared outcomes of 216 patients who underwent cystectomy to the presence of biomarkers in their bodies.

The experimenters found that the number of molecular alterations present in a bladder tissue sample was correlated to the risk of cancer recurrence. Analysis of samples may therefore enable doctors to identify suitable chemotherapy candidates.

Findings were published in the journal European Urology, and the scientists involved plan to conduct another investigation to determine whether recognition of biomarkers serves as an effective practice in a clinical setting.

The investigators analysed the the health outcomes of 6,418 drug recipients across a 2.57 year period in order to determine whether trends were evident among those who were affected.

Analysis of the data gathered revealed that the cancer incidence rate was above average in patients who received high cumulative doses in the first year.

Previous research has revealed that the slow degradation rate of the drug means it is more likely to accumulate in soft tissues when large quantities are taken.

High levels built up in long-term takers of amiodarone could, therefore, be responsible for the increased risk of disease.

Dr Vincent Yi-Fong Su said: "When prescribing amiodarone, doctors need to keep in mind that this medication may increase cancer risk."

The disease was responsible for the deaths of over 150,000 Britons in 2010, according to Cancer Research UK, so acting upon measures, which could reduce mortality rates, is vital.

Research was conducted by a Cleveland Clinic team, led by section head of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation in the Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute Dr Stanley Hazen and medical student at the Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University Robert Koeth.

The investigators wanted to find out whether vegans, vegetarians and omnivores had different levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) – a metabolite which had previously been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis.

This is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when fatty substances build up inside the arteries and compromise blood flow, increasing strain on the heart. Development can lead to cardiovascular disease, which kills 124,000 people in England and Wales every year, according to the NHS.

Academics hypothesised that meat eaters would exhibit increased levels of TMAO, since the compound is formed when the digestive system metabolises carnitine – a chemical abundant in red meats like lamb.

Investigators analysed information concerning more than 2,500 participants, cross-referencing data concerning cardiac health, diet and TMAO levels. They found that vegans and vegetarians had significantly lower quantities of the harmful chemical in their blood.

Even when these non meat eaters consumed high levels of carnitine, perhaps through sources like asparagus or peanut butter, they did not produce the same levels of TMAO as omnivores who ate the same amount.

Previous research indicates that consistently high carnitine intake increases the population of bacteria in the gut that produces TMAO. This means that meat eaters are more likely to create increased levels of the compound every time they consume lamb and other food sources.

Hazen said: "A diet high in carnitine actually shifts our gut microbe composition to those that like carnitine, making meat eaters even more susceptible to forming TMAO and its artery-clogging effects.

"Meanwhile, vegans and vegetarians have a significantly reduced capacity to synthesise TMAO from carnitine, which may explain the cardiovascular health benefits of these diets."

The scientists have claimed that a novel molecular mechanism in the drug metformin can reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines.

These normally activate the immune system, but if overproduced can lead to pathological inflammation, which can damage tissues in aging and favour tumour growth in certain types of cancer.

Dr Gerardo Ferbeyre, senior author and a University of Montreal biochemistry professor, revealed in the study, which was published in the online edition of Aging Cell: "Cells normally secrete these inflammatory cytokines when they need to mount an immune response to infection, but chronic production of these same cytokines can also cause cells to age. Such chronic inflammation can be induced, for example by smoking."

He went on to note that the findings of the study were a "surprise".

His team, in collaboration with Michael Pollack of the Segal Cancer Centre of the Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, found that metformin prevented the synthesis of cytokines directly at the level of the regulation of their genes.

"The genes that code for cytokines are normal, but a protein that normally triggers their activation called NF-B can't reach them in the cell nucleus in metformin treated cells," Dr Ferbeyre explained.

"We also found that metformin does not exert its effects through a pathway commonly thought to mediate its anti diabetic effects," he added.

The finding could have important ramifications in the future and most specifically in the way that a common and safe drug can help in the treatment of some cancers and slow down the process of aging.

Dr Ferbeyre added: "It remains that determining the specific targets of metformin would give us an even better opportunity of profit from its beneficial effects. That's what we want to figure out next."

Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet performed an investigation in order to determine whether there was a correlation between high levels of the sterone, and an increased risk of the health problem.

They looked at healthcare records of 6,000 patients who had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis between 2006 and 2008. They were then able to determine the prevalence of elevated amounts of cortisone in this group.

So that they could verify it was the medicine as opposed to the ailment itself that was responsible for any unusual trends, the researchers took into consideration when the condition developed in relation to the drug course start date.

In order to determine whether the proportion of people demonstrating increased hormone levels was above average, the investigators also analysed data for a control group. This involved 61,000 healthy people.

After comparing the results, the academics were able to reveal that patients taking cortisone in the form of a tablet are at a 70 per cent higher risk of acute pancreatitis than counterparts who do not take the drug.

However, those people who took the medicine via other means, such as in aerosol form, did not seem to be at an increased risk of the condition. This form of delivery seems to have less impact on the pancreas, perhaps as it is absorbed in a different way, and dosages may be lower.

The researchers still encourage those taking cortisone-containing drugs, such as an asthma inhaler, to refrain from engaging in other risk activities for acute pancreatitis, such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

Severe forms of the condition can be life threatening, as the body attempts to repair the inflamed glandular organ by diverting fluids away. Lower liquid levels can result in hypovolemic shock, and this incidence can deprive cells in the body of oxygen and other nutrients they need to survive.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) can motivate a number of health issues, and confinement within a vehicle means passengers are more likely to be affected.

It is especially important to protect youngsters, as their respiratory systems are still developing and are thus more prone to damage.

The MP said: "I would do that for the protection of children. I believe in protecting children. I would see it as a child welfare issue."

Smoking has already been banned in enclosed public areas such as restaurants and offices, but the government is more wary about prohibiting the practice in personal spaces

However, research shows that passing the law had a significantly positive impact on reducing hospital admission rates for conditions such as asthma.

With thousands of children suffering or at an increased risk of medical problems because of ETS, Ms Soubry's proposal could be implemented.

Researchers from the University of Colorado recruited expecting females, and put half of them on a course of phosphatidylcholine. They took 3,600 milligrams each morning and 2,700 milligrams in the evening. After birth, their infants were given 100 milligrams of the supplement every 24 hours.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women consume 450 milligrams each day, and suggests that babies under the age of six months have 125 milligrams in their diet on a daily basis.

The other participants and their offspring were administered a placebo drug without their knowledge. Analysts could then use their outcomes as a baseline to compare to, thus fairly determining whether the choline had any real effect.

In order to establish each child's risk of developing schizophrenia, the experimenters used a sound test. Human brains tend to hear an initial click but ignore one which immediately follows. However, schizophrenia patients often do not demonstrate this inhibition due to poor sensory filtering.

In the group of infants who had been exposed to choline supplementation in the womb and after delivery, 86 per cent successfully inhibited the repeated sound response – just 43 per cent of the control group did the same.

Study author Professor Robert Freedman said: "Our finding that [choline] ameliorates some of the pathophysiology associated with risk for schizophrenia now requires longer-term follow-up to assess whether it decreases risk for the later development of illness as well."

Around one per cent of people will be affected by the psychotic condition at some point in their life, according to the NHS. Since genes associated with the condition are so common, healthcare providers may suggest that all pregnant women take choline supplements if it is found to be effective.

Expectant females should be able to safely consume the vitamin through supplementation, but they could also increase levels through eating more choline-containing foods. This includes products like fish, eggs and nuts.