Author Archives: Science Media Centre
A treatment for autism
Autism is a severe developmental disorder that affects 1 in 100 children. The core difficulties in social communication, which can mean children not even being able to communicate verbally, and the rigid and repetitive behaviours usually have a profound effect on development into adulthood and result in estimated £1-1.5 million lifetime societal costs per child. Despite many claims and previous research, there has to date been no treatment for the condition that has succeeded in improving these core developmental symptoms over the long-term. Now, however, researchers are reporting the long-term results of an intervention with families early in development that may begin to change our expectations. read more
expert reaction to treatment for autism in children
Autism is a severe developmental disorder that affects 1 in 100 children with no treatment that has succeeded in improving these core developmental symptoms over the long-term. Researchers publishing in The Lancet are reporting the long-term results of an intervention with families early in development that may begin to change our expectations. read more
expert reaction to research into the potential of e-cigarettes to combat obesity
In line with the effects of smoking on appetite suppression the impact of e-cigarettes with nicotine and flavouring on appetite and weight control is explored in a paper published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research with the authors suggesting areas of further study. read more
expert reaction to reports that a third runway has been approved for Heathrow airport
Reports are suggesting that the expansion of Heathrow airport, including a third runway, has been approved by ministers. read more
expert reaction to study looking at air pollution, traffic noise and blood pressure
Scientists publishing in European Heart Journal have investigated the effect of traffic-related air pollution and noise and report that they are associated with increased incidence of self-reported (but not measured) high blood pressure. read more
expert reaction to editorial on omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids and obesity
An editorial published in the journal Open Heart has argued for the importance of balancing omega-6 (such as from cooking oils or eggs) and omega-3 (such as from oily fish) fatty acids in the prevention and management of obesity. read more
expert reaction to study looking at soft drinks and diabetes
Publishing in the European Journal of Endocrinology a group a scientists have examined the effect of sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks on type 2 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and report that increased consumption was associated with an increased risk of the disease. read more
expert reaction to taurine reducing symptoms of psychosis – unpublished poster presentation from the International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) meeting in Milan
An unpublished poster presentation presented at the International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) meeting in Milan has reported the use of the chemical taurine as able to reduce the symptoms of psychosis. read more
expert reaction to study looking at the relationship between cortisol levels in hair and saliva and IVF success
A group of researchers have examined the levels of cortisol in hair and saliva in women undergoing fertility treatment and publish their work in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. They report that hair, but not saliva, cortisol concentrations predicted pregnancy. read more
expert reaction to study reporting production of functional mouse eggs in culture
Scientists publishing in the journal Nature reported the production of functional mouse eggs from embryonic and induced stem cells in mice. read more
strong voice sounds great – but will we all hear it?
By Fiona Fox This blog contains the thoughts of the author rather than representing the work or policy of the … read more
expert reaction to poster presentation (unpublished work) on artificial sweeteners and fertility from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting
A poster presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting in Salt Lake City has examined the effect of artificial sweeteners on the success of IVF treatment. read more
expert reaction to international efforts to curb hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases
The US secretary of state John Kerry has said that there are international efforts to cut hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) greenhouse gases such as those used in air conditioners and refrigerators. read more
Higher Education and Research Bill
There are some things that the scientific community are generally agreed on. That we need a stronger voice for science in government, most especially after Brexit, that what government spends on science is still too low (0.49% of GDP compared to the EU average of 0.67%) and that decisions about what research is conducted need to be free from government interference. But is the new U.K. Higher Education and Research Bill going to deliver all these goals? Unusually the scientific community is divided with Paul Nurse and the Royal Society believing that the bill presents the best chance of achieving some of the changes desperately needed, while others think it poses new risks. A strongly worded leader in Nature this week called on scientists to oppose the bill on the grounds that it opens the door to political interference and called on the scientific community to address the issues in public as well as negotiating behind closed doors. read more
expert reaction to study looking at neonicotinoid pesticides and bumblebees in the field
Publishing in Journal of Applied Ecology, a group of researchers examined the effect of exposure to three specific neonicotinoid pesticides on bumblebee colonies in a field setting and reported changes to colony numbers with some pesticides (for imidacloprid or thiamethoxam) more than with others (clothiandin). read more
expert reaction to University of Edinburgh study on dementia and environmental factors
Based on a review of previous studies a group of researchers have shortlisted a number of environmental risk factors for dementia in a paper published in the journal BMC Geriatrics. read more
expert reaction to antidepressants and risk of suicide and violence in healthy people
A review of published evidence on the effect of antidepressants on suicidal behaviour and violence in healthy people is published in Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine with the authors reporting ‘antidepressants double the occurrence of events in adult healthy volunteers that can lead to suicide and violence.’ read more
expert reaction to new study on climate forcing from aerosols
Publishing in the journal PNAS a group of researchers have analysed mechanisms of formation of atmospheric aerosols and their effect on climate change. read more
expert reaction to mouse study of gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease
A group of scientists have described their use of a specific gene therapy to treat Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse model. Publishing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the scientists report that the upregulation of the PGC-1α gene brought about reduced biological markers of the disease and improved function in the mice. read more
expert reaction to a study using stem cell therapy to regenerate damaged primate hearts
Transplants often fail because of immune reactions of the patient against the donated organ or tissue. A paper published in the journal Nature has described attempts to use modified transplanted stem cells to regenerate the damaged hearts of five monkeys. read more