Author Archives: Science Media Centre
experts react to hurricane harvey
Experts comment on Hurricane Harvey and its impact. read more
expert reaction to reports of an alleged ‘acoustic attack’ on US embassy staff in cuba
Experts react to the reports of an alleged ‘acoustic attack’ at the US embassy in Cuba. read more
expert reaction to study investigating flame retardants and pregnancies in women undergoing IVF
Publishing in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers looked at organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), studying the urinary concentrations of their metabolites along with outcomes of IVF treatement. They reported a negative association between the concentration of certain types of PFR metabolites in the urine of these women and the proportion of successful outcomes of IVF. read more
expert reaction to the association between lithium in drinking water and dementia
Publishing in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers have looked into the association of Lithium in drinking water with incidence of dementia, reporting that long-term increased lithium exposure in drinking water may be associated with a lower incidence of dementia but the relationship was not linear.
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expert reaction to study of adolescents, e-cigarettes and smoking
In new research published in Tobacco Control scientists assess whether adolescent e-cigarette use was associated prospectively with initiation or escalation of cigarette use. read more
expert reaction to study looking at a technique to overcome a genetic cause of infertility in mice
In a new study published in Science, researchers report on a technique designed to remove one of the extra sex chromosomes in mice with a specific (trisomy) genetic cause of infertility. These mice were then able to produce offspring.
expert reaction to fipronil-contaminated egg scandal in Europe
A number of countries in Europe have received eggs contaminated with the insecticide fipronil.
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expert reaction to study reporting that air pollution nanoparticles can affect peptides in the immune system
Researchers publishing in The Journal of Immunology report that air pollution nanoparticles can affect peptides in the immune system and they suggest they could potentially lead to an increased susceptibility to infection.
expert reaction to reports of the presence of a Japanese fungus (Candida auris) in multiple UK hospitals
More than 200 patients in England have been contaminated or infected with a drug-resistant fungus first found in Japan, health officials have confirmed. read more
expert reaction to study looking at obesity, metabolic health and coronary heart disease
Publishing in European Heart Journal, researchers looked at the ‘metabolically healthy obesity’ hypothesis in a large European prospective study. They reported that irrespective of BMI, those classed as ‘metabolically unhealthy’ had a higher risk of coronary heart disease. They also reported that those who were overweight and obese had a higher risk of coronary heart disease, irrespective of their metabolic health. read more
expert reaction to study looking at the use of the pesticide thiamethoxam and its effect on bumblebee populations
Publishing in Nature Ecology & Evolution, researchers looked at the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam and its impact on bumblebee colonies. They reported that exposure to thiamethoxam resulted in a reduction in the proportion of queen bees laying eggs and from this modelled possible effects on population dynamics. read more
expert reaction to study on the use of genome editing to inactivate endogenous retroviruses in pigs
A study published in the journal Science looks at the use of gene-editing to inactivate endogenous retroviruses in pigs. read more
expert reaction to study looking at climate change and flooding in Europe
A new study published in the journal Science looks at climate change and river flooding in Europe. read more
expert reaction to fipronil-contaminated egg scandal in Europe
Experts react to the developing news story that some eggs contaminated with fipronil reached the UK earlier this year. read more
expert reaction to vitamin B3 supplements and birth defects in mice
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) investigated vitamin B3 supplements and genetic birth defects in mice. read more
expert reaction to study looking at marijuana use and various measures of heart disease
Publishing in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, researchers looked at the effect of marijuana on cardiovascular
and cerebrovascular mortality and reported that longer duration of marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of death from hypotension. read more
expert reaction to fipronil-contaminated egg scandal in Europe
Experts react to the news story that a small number of eggs contaminated with fipronil reached the UK earlier this year. read more
expert comments about greenhouse gas data and the Paris climate agreements, the subject of a BBC investigation
A BBC investigation looks at how countries are measuring levels greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the issues that arise from trying to record this data. read more
expert reaction to study on playing action video games and hippocampal grey matter
Publishing in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers have looked at the plasticity of the hippocampus in those who play video games. They report that different types of games, depending on the type of navigational strategy are associated with different effects on the hippocampal system.
expert reaction to study projecting numbers of extreme weather events in Europe in 2100
Publishing in the Lancet Planetary Health scientists report that weather-related disasters could affect about two-thirds of the European population annually by the year 2100.
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