Men consuming large quantities of saturated fats tend to have lower quality sperm than other men, according to a study co-authored by Dartmouth Medical School professor Jill Attaman. The study which monitored the effects of lifestyle choices on fertility found that saturated fats, common in meat and dairy products, decreased sperm count in test subjects by up to 35 percent, the National Public Radio health blog reported. In contrast, omega-3 fats, commonly found in fish and seafood, slightly improved fertility in men, according to the study. While the study does not prove causation between a high-fat diet and low sperm count, the findings suggest that eating habits and sperm quality may be connected, NPR reported. The study's 99 subjects had all visited fertility clinics and indicated their diet choices in a questionnaire. The study was published in March in Human Reproduction, a science journal published by Oxford University Press.
The College's Alternative Spring Break trip to rural Kentucky was canceled following a car crash involving some of the trip's participants near Hanover, according to students involved. The six passengers sustained minor injuries, while the vehicle was severely damaged and could no longer be driven. Participants initially planned to drive to Leslie County in eastern Kentucky to learn about poverty in the region, according to the Tucker Foundation website. Students were scheduled to volunteer at the Laurel Mission, the Frontier Nursing Service and the David School to help provide health care to children in the region.
A study by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center plastic surgery resident Abhishek Chatterjee comparing hourly payment for nine common surgery procedures found that the hourly payment received by surgeons for these procedures varies significantly, uncovering flaws in the formula that calculates rates of compensation, according to Becker's ASC Review, an ambulatory surgery center journal. The study, which utilized payment records for fiscal year 2009, discovered that hourly pay was based mainly on a subjective assessment of physician work rather than on quantitative data. Procedure payments ranged from $188 an hour for a partial colectomy to $700 an hour for laparoscopic gastric bypass, both common procedures, the Review reported. The study highlights the discrepancies in the reimbursement methodology, which factors in 52.5 percent physician work, 43.6 percent practice expenses and 3.9 percent professional liability, according to the Review.
