Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to childhood psychiatric problems reaching adulthood
Publishing in JAMA Psychiatry, a group of researchers have examined the long-term health impacts of childhood psychiatric disorders, even if those specific disorders do not themselves persist. They report that patients with such a childhood psychiatric illness were at a greater risk of financial, legal, health or social problems, compared to people without such psychiatric issues. read more
expert reaction to antidepressants, painkillers and risk of bleeding
Examining possible associations between taking combinations of pharmaceutical drugs and risk of bleeding below the skull, researchers have published in The BMJ reporting an increased risk of bleeding in patients who combined antidepressants and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs compared to those who took only antidepressants. read more
expert reaction to reports of confirmed case of the H7N7 bird flu virus at poultry farm in Lancashire
A case of the H7N7 avian flu virus has been confirmed at a farm in Lancashire. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced humane culling of the farm’s birds, and also surveillance zones around the farm. read more
tobacco and schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia are more likely to be cigarette smokers. The hotly-debated question is why this might be. Suggested explanations include self-medication, counteracting symptoms, and reducing boredom or distress. Until recently, little attention has been paid towards the possibility that cigarettes themselves may increase the risk of psychosis. Researchers have used a meta-analysis to assess whether daily tobacco use, or starting smoking at an earlier age, is associated with an increased risk of psychotic illnesses. read more
expert reaction to tobacco and schizophrenia
It has previously been observed that sufferers of schizophrenia are more likely to be smokers, though mechanisms for this association have been lacking. This is the subject of a paper published in The Lancet Psychiatry, in which the authors report that daily tobacco use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis and an earlier age of onset. read more
expert reaction to study investigating climate change and bumblebee geographical ranges
The pollination of a large proportion of the world’s plants is attributed to bee species, and alterations in the geographical habitats of bumblebees is the focus of a paper published in the journal Science. The authors report differing patterns in terms of the shifting limits of habitat location, including the loss of ranges from southern extremes and movement to higher elevations among southern species. read more
expert reaction to study on antidepressant use in early pregnancy and risk of birth defects
The use of pharmaceutical drugs during pregnancy is an area of controversy, and a possible association between the use of certain antidepressants early in pregnancy and birth defects is the subject of a paper published in The BMJ. The authors report no association for some of the drugs that they tested, but an increased risk when using two specific selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). read more
expert reaction to results from gene therapy trial for cystic fibrosis
Genetic disorders underlie many diseases, and gene therapies have the potential to alleviate the severity of some conditions or even cure them. Researchers publishing in the The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal have detailed their use of a gene therapy to treat cystic fibrosis, reporting a modest and variable effect compared to placebo. read more
cystic fibrosis gene therapy trial results
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal inherited disease in the UK, affecting around 10,000 people nationally and over 90,000 worldwide. Patients’ lungs become filled with thick sticky mucus and they are vulnerable to recurrent chest infections, which eventually destroy the lungs. The cause of CF, mutations in a gene located on chromosome 7, was identified in 1989, opening the door to introducing a normal copy of this gene using gene therapy. The UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium, a group of scientists and clinical teams from Imperial College London, the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Lothian, have been working together to develop a gene therapy since 2001. read more
expert reaction to new research on impact of CO2 emissions on oceans and marine life
The effects of climate change on the world’s marine ecosystems is the subject of a paper published in the journal Science, with the authors discussing two scenarios of levels of carbon dioxide emissions and their potential impacts in terms of marine life and associated goods and services. read more
expert reaction to study investigating content of and contaminants in laboratory rodent diets
The diets of rodents in food safety and toxicology studies is the topic of a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, in which the authors report the presence of contaminants including heavy metals, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms in the feed or lab rodents. The authors go on to suggest that such contaminants could affect the reliability of toxicity testing in general. read more
Expert reaction to news that factory worker in Germany died after being crushed by robotic machinery
A man has died after being crushed by a robot at a Volkswagen plant in Germany, with initial reports suggesting that human error was to blame. read more
expert reaction to study on hormone levels and financial risk taking in men
Hormones have been shown to control behavioural and structural changes in the body, and researchers publishing in the journal Scientific Reports have examined a possible association between levels of testosterone or cortisol, and risk taking in financial situations. read more
the Oxford Martin Safe Carbon Investment Initiative
The G7 recently committed to decarbonise the economy by 2100. Now, a group of leading climate scientists and economists has been formed to examine investments in fossil fuel industries. The Oxford Martin Safe Carbon Investment Initiative aims to provide a robust, evidence-based approach to the divestment question. Work will begin soon to ask what, if any, are the realistic alternatives to divestment? What would a safe fossil fuel investment look like in a world in transition to net zero carbon emissions? What does a company that remains engaged in fossil fuel extraction need to do to reassure its investors and customers that it is acting responsibly, and to ensure that its activities are not committing future taxpayers or shareholders to expensive climate adaptation, mitigation or remediation measures? read more
cochrane review of evidence on stress urinary incontinence surgery / vaginal mesh – effectiveness and side effects
Vaginal mesh surgery for stress urinary incontinence has been in the news over the last couple of years, with questions being asked about its safety, effectiveness and potential side effects. The procedure involves implanting a sling made of artificial mesh under the urethra to support the muscles of the bladder. There have been a number of reports of women suffering pain and injury after surgery, and some suggestion that side-effects may be due to the sling which is made of non-absorbable plastic. This has led to court cases worldwide, with some already under way in the UK, the USA and Canada. In Scotland, the health minister called for hospitals to consider the suspension of mesh operations until more evidence is available. An independent review set up in Scotland in 2014 to review the safety of these operations will publish its findings later this year. read more
expert reaction to the Committee on Climate Change’s latest report to Parliament
The Committee on Climate Change has produced its first report to the new parliament, regarding reducing emissions and preparing for climate change. read more
expert reaction to Lancashire council decision to reject fracking applications
Lancashire County Council has rejected an application for fracking for shale gas at a coastal site in Fylde. read more
expert reaction to opinion piece suggesting sperm banking for young men
An opinion piece published in the Journal of Medical Ethics earlier this month has suggested that all 18-year-old men should have the opportunity to have their sperm frozen, in order to avoid health risks associated with being an older father. read more
expert reaction to study on association between Caesarean section births and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
A study has examined a possible link between Caesarean section births and probability of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). read more
expert reaction to possible new biomarker for early-stage pancreatic cancer
A new study published in the journal Nature has reported the identification of a blood protein that has the potential to be used as a biomarker for early-stage pancreatic cancer. read more