Author Archives: Science Media Centre
pre – ESHRE preview press briefing followed by news conference for first study
This briefing gave journalists the chance to hear a preview of the main studies to be presented at ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) in Lisbon, Portugal. Also at the briefing was an announcement of which is a nationwide analysis of more than 14,000 subjects in Scotland analysing rates of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy in women with a history of endometriosis. read more
expert reaction to new study on bees and crop pollination
The extent of the contribution of bees to crop pollination and factors which affect their health and survival are active areas of research. Publishing in the journal Nature Communications, researchers have reported that the significant contribution of bees to aiding human crop production is limited to a subset of all species, and suggest that conservation and management projects should be more targeted. read more
chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease
A number of types of food have been suggested to have beneficial effects on health, and a team publishing in the journal Heart have investigated an association between chocolate consumption and cardiovascular disease. Based on a meta-analysis, the researchers report that higher intake of chocolate was associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events. read more
expert reaction to study on chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease
A number of types of food have been suggested to have beneficial effects on health, and a team publishing in the journal Heart have investigated an association between chocolate consumption and cardiovascular disease. Based on a meta-analysis, the researchers report that higher intake of chocolate was associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events. read more
expert reaction to exposure to green spaces at school and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren
A study of schoolchildren in Spain has been published in the journal PNAS, in which the authors aimed to examine the effects of exposure to green spaces on cognitive development. The authors report beneficial effects on aspects including memory and attentiveness with increasing levels of green space, which the partially attribute to reduction in exposure to air pollution. read more
expert reaction to existing licensed drugs used to treat depression in mice
The use of drugs which are already prescribed for certain diseases in the treatment of other conditions is an active area of research, and a paper published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has done just that to treat depressive symptoms in mice. read more
call off the hunt
Am I the only one who feels sorry for Tim Hunt? Judging from my inbox, I’m not. I can’t help … read more
expert reaction to study reporting on drug promoting tissue regeneration in mice
A team of scientists have described their efforts to find compounds which can promote the regeneration of tissue, publishing in the journal Science. Using mouse models, the researchers report the identification of a drug which through targeting a specific protein was able to help tissue regeneration after colon and liver injury, and also of blood cells after bone marrow transplant. read more
expert reaction to study on nut and peanut consumption and mortality rates
Diet is known to play a large part in various diseases, and possible effects of nuts on mortality has been examined in a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. Looking at a Dutch group, the researchers report that peanut and tree nut intake was associated with lower mortality rates, but that this effect wasn’t seen for peanut butter. read more
expert reaction to additives in low-tar cigarettes and addiction
Publishing in the journal Tobacco Control, researchers have examined inclusion of various compounds in ‘light’ cigarette products reporting that they were used to enhance acceptance and sales of the products through addiction and appeal. read more
expert reaction to study investigating screen time and bone health in adolescents
Low physical activity is a risk factor for a number of diseases, and researchers publishing in the BMJ Open have examined a possible association between activity and time spent in front of television or computer screens at weekends. The research team looked Norwegian adolescents and report that in boys, “screen time” was negatively associated with bone mineral density. read more
expert reaction to proteins in blood may help detect Alzheimer’s
The use of blood tests to diagnose specific diseases is a vital tool in modern medicine, and researchers publishing in the journal Neurology have described their early attempts to look for markers which could one day be used in a test for Alzheimer’s. Using a small group of a few dozen patients, the team report that they were able use presence of specific proteins to distinguish between patients with and without Alzheimers, up to ten years before onset of disease. read more
expert reaction to comments made by Prof. Tim Hunt FRS on female scientists
Professor Tim Hunt, winner of the Nobel prize in 2001, has faced criticism for comments made in South Korea about female scientists and their place in the lab. read more
expert reaction to baby born following re-implantation of ovarian tissue
Stem cell therapies are frequently used to treat blood disorders, though this often leads to problems with ovarian function in women who receive the treatment. A potential way to combat this reduced fertility is the preservation of ovarian tissue before the treatment occurs, for transplantation back into the patient at a later date, though this has only been demonstrated successfully in adult patients. However a case study published in the journal Human Reproduction has reported the successful use of this procedure in a girl of nearly 14 years old. read more
expert reaction to study looking at dosage of HPV vaccine and level of protection against HPV infection
A vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) is offered to adolescent girls in the UK with the aim of protecting against cervical cancer, and the efficacy of the vaccine when using different numbers of doses is the subject of a study published in the journal Lancet Oncology. Two vaccine doses are currently given, with the research team reporting that in their study similar levels of protection were given by one, two or three doses of the vaccine. read more
expert reaction to caffeine, chronic stress and mood disorders
The ability of caffeine to improve measures of chronic stress, mood, memory and depression has been investigated by a research group who have published their results in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The team report that the use of caffeine was able to help these measures, either by preventing or reversing the negative behavioural effects. read more
expert reaction to study investigating dietary saturated fat, unsaturated fat, blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels
Publishing in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a research team has attempted to analyse the effects of replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, and they report that the switch brought about beneficial effects in terms of lowering blood pressure and levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol. read more
non-invasive prenatal testing
Non-invasive prenatal testing for disorders such as Down’s syndrome has considerable advantages over invasive methods, not least in that it reduces the risk of miscarriage. But how effective is it? Is it feasible economically? Do parents trust it? How far can it be applied? Can it diagnose disease in the mother as well as the foetus? To whom should it be offered? read more
expert reaction to new study on the global warming ‘hiatus’
Suggestions of a recent pause or hiatus in the overall warming trend seen in long-term global temperatures have led to some controversy. Researchers publishing in the journal Science have reported that based on updated global surface temperature analyses, this slowdown of temperature increases may not exist. read more
expert reaction to publication of letters from Prince Charles to Department of Health regarding complementary medicine
Following a judicial review letters between Prince Charles and various government departments have been published, including with the Department of Health on the subject of complementary medicine. read more