Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to paper describing development of embryos from non-egg cells
In a discovery that challenges two centuries of received biological wisdom, scientists at the University of Bath have for the first time used sperm to fertilise non-egg cells – resulting in live mammalian births. Eggs can be tricked into developing into an embryo without fertilisation, but the embryos, called parthenogenotes, die after a few days. Scientists at Bath have developed a method of injecting mouse parthenogenotes with sperm so that they can go on in many cases to become healthy pups. read more
making embryos from a non-egg cell
In a discovery that challenges two centuries of received biological wisdom, scientists at the University of Bath have for the first time used sperm to fertilise non-egg cells – resulting in live mammalian births. Eggs can be tricked into developing into an embryo without fertilisation, but the embryos, called parthenogenotes, die after a few days. Scientists at Bath have developed a method of injecting mouse parthenogenotes with sperm so that they can go on in many cases to become healthy pups. read more
expert comments about pneumonia, following reports that Hillary Clinton has been diagnosed with pneumonia
The US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has reportedly been diagnosed with pneumonia, a condition which affects the lungs. read more
expert reaction to the Oxburgh report on Carbon Capture and Storage
A parliamentary advisory group has released a report advising on the importance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. read more
expert reaction to results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency have published the results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014. read more
expert reaction to study looking at antidepressant use and depression in children and teenagers
A paper published in the journal Psychological Medicine has reported an increase in antidepressant prescriptions in children and young people alongside a decrease in recorded depression diagnoses. read more
expert reaction to 2020 renewable heat and transport targets
A report from the parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee has warned the government that, based on current trends, the UK will miss its target to provide 15% of energy from renewable sources. read more
interpreting the evidence on the risks and benefits of statins
The public row about statins has had an impact on patient attitudes and the take up of the drugs, but patients, doctors and the wider public are still left confused about the absolute harms and benefits of statins. A major review, published in The Lancet, brings together all evidence to date on statins to clarify what the risks and benefits are in order to help doctors, patients and the wider public make informed decisions about their use. read more
expert reaction to review of evidence on efficacy and safety of statins
A review, published in The Lancet, brought together all evidence to date from randomised controlled clinical trials on statins to clarify what the risks and benefits are in order to help doctors, patients and the wider public make informed decisions about their use. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the association between physical activity, alcohol drinking, and mortality
The extent to which physical activity can mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol on health is examined in a paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in which the authors report that the association between alcohol intake and mortality risk was reduced in individuals who met physical activity recommendations. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the association between extending access to primary care and visits to emergency departments
Extension of access to primary care is the subject of a paper published in the journal PLOS Medicine in which the authors report that extending access was associated with a reduction in emergency department visits in their study of cases in 2014. read more
expert reaction to paper investigating the association between Caesarean section births and the risk of obesity in children
The effect of Caesarean section on offspring is the subject of a paper published in JAMA Pediatrics in which the authors report an association between Caesarean section and offspring obesity. read more
expert reaction to study looking at electric fan use in the elderly during extreme heatwaves
A study published in JAMA has looked at electric fan use by nine elderly people and examined heart rate and core temperature. The paper reported that fan use resulted in greater heart rate and core temperature, although differences were small. read more
expert reaction to study looking at prevalence of coeliac disease and of people following a gluten-free diet in the US
Publishing in JAMA Internal Medicine a group of researchers have reported that the incidence of coeliac disease has not changed in recent years, but the number of people in the USA who follow a gluten-free diet has increased significantly. read more
Cochrane review of evidence on vitamin D as a treatment for asthma
The relationship between vitamin D levels and asthma has been a frequent topic of research, and low levels of the vitamin have been linked to an increased risk of asthma attacks in both adults and children. However, the evidence for the potential role of vitamin D in managing asthma symptoms and attacks has not been fully evaluated until now. A new Cochrane Review has investigated whether vitamin D supplements can prevent asthma attacks or improve control of symptoms. The review has evaluated nine trials including both adults and children, and judged the studies included to be of high quality. read more
expert reaction to study on e-cig advertising
A paper published in the journal Tobacco Control has reported that exposure to e-cigarette adverts could lower the perceived health risks … read more
expert reaction to conference talk (unpublished work) on early life antibiotic use and development of allergies
A presentation of unpublished work at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress has examined the effects of exposure to antibiotics early in life and reports a relationship with increased risk of eczema and hayfever. read more
expert reaction to magnetite, air pollution and Alzheimer’s
A paper published in the journal PNAS has reported the identification of the mineral magnetite in human brains. The mineral has been implicated in negative health consequences and the authors suggest that the samples originate from air pollution. read more
expert reaction to paper reporting use of CRISPR anti-cancer therapies in mice
The use of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system for the regulation of genes with the aim of rewiring cancer cells in vitro is reported in the journal Nature Methods. read more
expert reaction to PHE-released figures of number of cases of meningitis B since the MenB vaccination programme was started
The number of cases of meningitis B has fallen since the introduction of a vaccination programme one year ago. read more