Author Archives: Science Media Centre
perinatal depression and suicide
Whilst the number of direct pregnancy-related deaths has been steadily falling, the same cannot be said for indirect deaths linked to mental health. In fact almost a quarter of women who died due to indirect effects were due to mental health reasons and experts argue that these deaths were often unnecessary. Using data from the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (MBRRACE-UK), experts have assessed pregnancy-related deaths from 2009-2013 including reviews of more than 100 women who committed suicide during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth. read more
expert reaction to the latest Jim O’Neill review on AMR, specifically whether resistant bacteria in poorly cooked meat could pose a health risk
The Review On Antimicrobial Resistance chaired by Jim O’Neill has produced a report which sets out a number of suggestions in order to reduce the use of antibiotics in agriculture. read more
expert reaction to global carbon emissions
Publishing in the journal Nature Climate Change a group of scientists has reported that the growth in global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry since 2000 has slowed in the past two years. read more
expert reaction to the flooding
Areas of the UK, mainly the North of England including Cumbria, have seen severe flooding due to heavier than usual rainfall. read more
expert reaction to reports that the gene that enables bacteria to be resistant to polymyxins (last line of antibiotic defence such as colistin) have been detected in Denmark
It has been reported that samples of E.coli which are resistant to an antibiotic of last resort have been found in Denmark. read more
expert reaction to study investigating epigenetic changes in the sperm of fat and lean men
The effect of a man’s weight on the markers which regulate activity of genes in their sperm is the subject of a paper published in the journal Cell Metabolism, with the authors reporting differences in the profile of such epigenetic markers between lean and obese men, and also following weight loss surgery. read more
Prof Sir John Tooke and Prof Sir Robert Lechler, outgoing President and President-elect of the Academy of Medical Sciences
This briefing was the final chance for a discussion with John Tooke as President of the Academy and an opportunity to meet Robert Lechler who begins his five-year term as President on December 3, taking over from John Tooke who was elected in 2011. read more
expert reaction to paper reporting a link between maternal weight gain, and increased risk of stillbirths and infant deaths
Researchers publishing in The Lancet journal have examined whether change in a woman’s BMI between two pregnancies impacts on mortality of the second child, and report that an increase in BMI may be a risk factor for stillbirth and infant mortality. read more
expert reaction to conference poster presentation (unpublished work) on caffeinated energy drink consumption and blood sugar and insulin levels in teenagers
A group of scientists have presented their unpublished work at the World Diabetes Congress which investigates the metabolic impacts of caffeinated and decaffeinated energy drinks. read more
expert reaction to screen time and physical activity during early adulthood linked to midlife cognition
Levels of physical activity and patterns of television viewing and their effect on a person’s cognition is the subject of a paper published in the JAMA Psychiatry, with the authors reporting that high levels of inactivity and low levels of television viewing were associated with poorer cognitive function. read more
statins news stories and continuation of statins
The effect of statin-related news stories on people continuing with statin prescriptions and health outcomes in a Danish population is the subject of a paper published in the European Heart Journal. The authors report an association between discontinuing statin use early and heart attack and risk of death from cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to Danish study investigating negative news stories about statins, continuation of statin treatment, heart attacks and early deaths
The effect of statin-related news stories on people continuing with statin prescriptions and health outcomes in a Danish population is the subject of a paper published in the European Heart Journal. The authors report an association between discontinuing statin use early and heart attack and risk of death from cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to study investigating lifespan, ageing, and gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans nematode roundworm
Publishing in the journal eLife a group of scientists have investigated mechanisms of ageing in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans worm, reporting a process which regulates the effects of genes involved in ageing as well as treatments which could change this regulation to alter lifespan of the worm. read more
expert reaction to study investigating elective caesarean sections and asthma, obesity and all-cause death by 21 years of age in those born
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has investigated between vaginal birth, planned and unscheduled cesarean delivery, and subsequent health problems or early death of the child, reporting differences in risk of a range of outcomes between the three groups. read more
elective caesarean sections and asthma, obesity and all-cause death
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has investigated between vaginal birth, planned and unscheduled cesarean delivery, and subsequent health problems or early death of the child, reporting differences in risk of a range of outcomes between the three groups. read more
evidence to select committee on science in emergencies: UK lessons from Ebola inquiry
In September 2015 the Science Media Centre submitted written evidence to the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee on what lessons have … read more
expert reaction to first report from Commons Health Committee on tackling childhood obesity, ‘Childhood obesity – brave and bold action’
The House of Commons Health Committee has produced a report into the scale and consequences of childhood obesity. read more
power cuts and electricity blackouts
We’ve become accustomed to a reliable supply of electricity, but short, local power cuts still occur. And every year at this time we hear questions about whether we have enough power station capacity to meet demand – and about the risks of the ‘lights going out’. What causes power cuts and what can we expect in future? What will be the impact on reliability from changes in the electricity system from renewables and new nuclear, as well as the phasing out of coal power stations by 2025? What role will smart systems play, and what measures will be used to balance demand as well as supply? A new briefing document prepared by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) explores these questions and addresses the myths and truths about power cuts and blackouts. read more
expert reaction to the Committee on Climate Change’s 5th Carbon Budget
The Committee on Climate Change, who advise the UK government and devolved administrations on emissions targets, have released their fifth carbon budget. read more
expert reaction to axing of £1bn carbon capture and storage (CCS) scheme
It has been announced in the spending review and autumn statement that a £1 billion competition for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has been cancelled. read more