Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to trial of stem cell transplantation (with chemotherapy) and multiple sclerosis
A paper published in the Lancet journal has looked at treatment of multiple sclerosis and reports the efficacy of chemotherapy to ablate the immune system followed by a stem cell transplant. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the global risk factors for stroke
A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 published in The Lancet Neurology reports that modifiable risk factors, such as behavioural and environmental factors, contribute to 90% of the global stroke burden. read more
expert reaction to antidepressant use in children and teens
While major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents, the use of pharmacological intervention to treat it remains controversial. A meta-analysis published in the Lancet reported that of 14 different antidepressants trialled in children, only one was significantly more effective than a placebo. read more
latest research on the safety and efficacy of mitochondrial donation therapy
A team from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Donation presented results from their research into the safety of efficacy of the IVF-based technique known as mitochondrial donation. Mitochondrial donation involves transplanting the nuclear DNA of a recently formed embryo into an embryo which contains the mitochondrial DNA of a donor woman. The technique was designed to reduce the risk of mothers passing on mitochondrial disease, which is devastating and often life-limiting, to their children. A vote in the House of Commons in February 2015 made the technique legal in the UK but the first license has not yet been issued to a clinic. read more
expert reaction to preclinical application of pronuclear transfer to prevent mitochondrial DNA disease
Faulty mitochondria contribute to a range of diseases and a research group working towards the use of mitochondrial donation techniques for women at risk of passing on those diseases to their children have described their preclinical work in the journal Nature. They report that embryos which underwent the donation techniques were largely similar to normal ones, and that they were able to minimise ‘carryover’ of the original faulty mitochondria to the new embryo. read more
expert reaction to Noel Edmonds’ statements about negative energy and cancer
Tweets from television presenter Noel Edmonds endorsing the use of an electromagnetic pulse machine to treat cancer and asserting that ill health is caused by ‘negative energy’ have been met with widespread criticism from the general public. read more
expert reaction to new NSIDC snow and ice data
The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has released a report which states: “Daily Arctic sea ice extents for May 2016 tracked two to four weeks ahead of levels seen in 2012, which had the lowest September extent in the satellite record.” read more
Mediterranean diet, fat levels and body weight
The effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on body weight is examined in a paper published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal in which the authors report an unrestricted-calorie, high-vegetable-fat Mediterranean diet was associated with decreases in bodyweight in older people at risk of cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to Down’s syndrome and green tea compound
Publishing in The Lancet Neurology journal a group of scientists have described their use of a particular extract of green tea to try to improve cognition of young adults with Down’s syndrome and report that the extract improved memory and behavioural aspects better than the placebo control. read more
expert reaction to study looking at Mediterranean diet, levels of fat and body weight
The effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on body weight was examined in a randomised controlled trial published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology in which the authors reported an unrestricted-calorie, high-vegetable-fat Mediterranean diet was not associated with weight gain when compared to an unrestricted-calorie, lower-fat diet in older people at risk of cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to new study on the effectiveness of alcohol dependence drug nalmefene
A group of researchers publishing in the journal Addiction have performed a systematic review of evidence supporting the efficacy of the drug nalmefene, approved in the UK for the treatment of alcohol dependence. They report problems in the methodology of clinical trials upon which this approval was based, and suggest that their conclusions may create dilemmas for clinicians prescribing the drug. read more
expert reaction to two posters being presented at the European Obesity Summit, one on bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes and estimated NHS cost saving*, and one on mortality in obese people that have surgery versus those that don’tǂ
Two posters at the European Obesity Summit have presented results on bariatric surgery, with one reporting its financial and health benefits when applied to type 2 diabetes, and another reporting lower mortality for obese individuals who undergo the surgery. read more
expert reaction to genome-scale engineering proposal The Genome Project-Write
Publishing in the journal Science a group of researchers in the field of synthetic biology have proposed a project to help the understanding and development of tools and methods for large-scale synthesis and editing of genomes – an organism’s DNA blueprint. read more
expert reaction to report on Soil Health as published by the Environmental Audit Committee
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has released a report examining soil health which includes aspects of agricultural production, climate change mitigation and adaptation, urban development, and flood risk management. read more
expert reaction to judge-led inquiry into withholding of government-commissioned research
Sense About Science has published its inquiry into delayed publication of government-commissioned research which reports a lack of clarity about what constitutes government-commissioned research and what is subject to various rules covering publication. read more
expert reaction to paper reporting progress towards a potential universal cancer vaccine
The production of vaccines towards tumours has so far been relatively unsuccessful but a paper published in the journal Nature has reported some progress by using genetic components of the tumour cells combined with nanoparticles to produce an immune response. read more
expert reaction to research on Antarctic ocean warming
A paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience has examined timescales of ocean warming in response to greenhouse gases in the Arctic. read more
expert reaction to suggestion that the Rio Olympic Games should be postponed or moved due to the Zika virus outbreak, and the WHO’s response
A number of scientists have said that, with the ongoing Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, the upcoming Olympic Games should be moved to another venue however the World Health Organization has rebutted the suggestion. read more
expert reaction to study reporting that colistin-resistant bacteria have been detected in the urinary tract infection of a woman in the US
Publishing in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy a group of scientists have reported the identification of E. coli resistant to the anti-microbial compound colistin. read more
expert reaction to study on the effects of mobile phone radiofrequency radiation on rats by the US National Toxicology Program
The US National Toxicology Program has released partial findings from a study into the effects of radiofrequency radiation such as is found from mobile phones. read more