Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to study investigating Mexico’s sugary drinks tax and changes in sales of taxed beverages
Mexico introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in early 2014 and its effects are the subject of a paper published in The BMJ, with the authors reporting reductions in purchases of taxed drinks and increases in purchases of taxed drinks. read more
expert reaction to EPA’s first of four preliminary risk assessments for insecticides potentially harmful to bees
The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a risk assessment for a specific neonicotinoid which reports that the insecticide may pose a risk to hives. The agency is due to deliver three other such assessments later in the year. read more
the science behind the floods
As flood waters start to subside those affected, politicians and the media start to ask how we can prevent such flooding events in future, could more have been done and what are the longer term solutions. Four of the UK’s leading flooding experts from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology came to the SMC to speak to journalists. read more
expert reaction to new research on pollen and pesticides
Publishing in the journal Environmental International a group of scientists has published their work investigating bees’ collection of pollen and their exposure to pesticides. read more
expert reaction to study investigating oral medication for thrush in pregnancy and risk of miscarriage
An association between use during pregnancy of a specific type of orally-administered medication for thrush and risk of miscarriage is the subject of a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in which the authors recommend cautious prescribing of the medication and further investigation. In the UK the medicine concerned is already not recommended for use during pregnancy. read more
expert reaction to antidepressant paroxetine and birth defects
Publishing in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology a group of scientists have investigated the effects of taking a specific antidepressant while pregnant on birth defects. In the meta-analysis they report that using paroxetine in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of cardiac-specific as well as general birth defects. read more
expert reaction to Met Office data on December’s record-breaking rainfall and temperatures
The Met Office has released provisional figures for rainfall in December 2015, and they report that the month was the wettest and warmest December on record, as well as the wettest calendar month. read more
expert reaction to the use of genome editing techniques to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a mouse model
A group of researchers have published in study in the journal Science in which they report the use of CRISPR-cas9 genome editing techniques to treat a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. read more
expert reaction to flooding
Heavy and persistent rainfall has caused flooding in various parts of the UK, with northern England and southern Scotland particularly badly affected. read more
expert reaction to meta-analysis investigating blood pressure lowering treatment for prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with different baseline blood pressures
Writing in The Lancet journal a group of researchers have published their work looking into the effects of lowering blood pressure, in which they report positive effects in terms of prevention of cardiovascular disease across groups of patients with various levels of disease risk. read more
expert reaction to study investigating human stem cell pluripotency using human-mouse chimerism
A study published in Cell Stem Cell reported that it had demonstrated evidence that human pluripotent stem cells can develop normally once transplanted into a mouse embryo, which has important implications for regenerative medicine. read more
Government Chief Scientific Adviser Annual Review
Sir Mark Walport publishes his annual review, Forensic Science and Beyond: Authenticity, Provenance and Assurance on December 17th. The review starts with forensics – the use of analytical science to assist the courts but then moves on to identify where forensic analysis has the power to deliver benefits to society that go far beyond the Criminal Justice System. This report explores the many ways in which we can use analytical scientific tools, combined with the approaches and skills of the forensic scientist, to reap the rewards of these benefits. The report also poses a series of questions to policy makers that point to the key areas where they need to decide whether and how to act. read more
expert reaction to ovarian cancer screening trial
A randomised control trial of ovarian cancer screening in post-menopausal women was published in the Lancet. Screening involved annually testing blood for levels of the protein CA125, and was compared with transvaginal ultrasound screening and with no screening. The study reported that blood screening may result in a reduction in deaths from ovarian cancer but it also gave false positives, and that further research is needed to further investigate the size of any reduction in mortality and the cost effectiveness of any proposed screening programme. read more
expert reaction to House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee report on GM insects
The House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee has published its report on GM insects which recommends that field trials begin. The Committee has been investigating the use of GM insect technologies to fight infectious disease and to control agricultural pests as the technology now exists to render insects unable to transmit diseases, and to reduce insect populations to minimise their threat to animals and crops. read more
genetically modified insects – what is their potential?
The House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee publishes its report on GM insects on Thursday 17 December. The Committee has been investigating the use of GM insect technologies to fight infectious disease and to control agricultural pests. It’s estimated that nearly half the world’s population live in areas that put them at risk from malaria and dengue fever, while in the UK and across the globe, insect damage causes billions of pounds of agricultural losses. But the technology now exists to render insects unable to transmit diseases, and to reduce insect populations to minimise their threat to animals and crops. read more
expert reaction to study investigating extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors in cancer development
The relative contribution of intrinsic (e.g. genetic) and extrinsic (e.g. environmental) risk factors in cancer development is the subject of a paper published in the journal Nature, which reports that external risk factors have a greater influence on cancer risk compared to intrinsic risk factors which only contribute modestly. read more
expert reaction to study investigating active and passive smoking, infertility and early menopause
A study published in the British Medical Journal has investigated the impacts of tobacco exposure on women’s health, which reports an increased risk of infertility and early onset of menopause with passive (secondhand smoke) as well as active exposure to tobacco. read more
expert reaction to antidepressant use during pregnancy linked to autism
Publishing in the Journal of the American Medical Association a group of researchers have looked at the effect of the use of antidepressants during pregnancy and report that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors later in pregnancy can increase the risk of the child developing autism spectrum disorders. read more
expert reaction to agreement at Paris COP-21
Following two weeks of negotiations, a deal has been reached in Paris which aims to limit global warming and carbon emissions. read more
expert reaction to emerging agreement from Paris Cop-21
An agreement is thought to have been agreed following talks in Paris to produce a deal on carbon emissions with the aim of limiting global warming and climate change. read more