Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to new study on statins and diabetes
A paper published in the journal Diabetologia has attempted to analyse the effect of taking statins on incidence of type 2 diabetes in men, reporting a small increase in absolute risk. read more
expert reaction to final guideline from the World Health Organization on daily intake of free sugars
The World Health Organization has published guidelines for the intake of sugar for adults and children, with the aim of reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases and dental problems. read more
expert reaction to high-salt diet and infections in mice
A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism has suggested that a high salt concentration in the skin may be beneficial in fighting infection, through activation of cells important in immune function. read more
expert reaction to systematic review of long-term paracetamol use and cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal health
A review of the literature surrounding the side effects associated with the use of paracetamol has been published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The authors report an increased risk of a number of side effects associated with the use of paracetamol, including those related to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health, but state that confounding effects may play some part. read more
expert reaction to genetically engineered cows resistant to bovine TB
Writing in the journal PNAS, a group has reported the generation of a genetically modified breed of cattle which are more resistant to tuberculosis than their unmodified counterparts, a trait which could be passed onto subsequent generations. read more
expert reaction to study investigating eating nuts and peanuts, and cardiovascular disease and mortality
Researchers publishing in JAMA Internal Medicine have examined a possible link between the consumption of nuts and changes in mortality risk in certain populations. The authors report that in the groups which they studied, people who ate more nuts had a lower mortality rate which was mainly due to a reduction in cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to biomarkers for CFS/ME
A paper published in the journal Science Advances has reported the presence of a specific biomarker signature in patients early in the course of CFS/ME, which was not seen in patients with a longer duration of the illness or in healthy individuals. The biomarkers relate to immune signalling messengers. read more
expert reaction to WHO decision on composition of the 2015-16 influenza vaccine for the northern hemisphere, and report about the global influenza situation
The World Health Organization has released information regarding the composition of the flu virus for the 2015-16 season, as well information on influenza viruses currently circulating globally. read more
expert encounter: Prof Mike Stephenson, Director of Science and Technology at the British Geological Survey
A new book by Prof. Mike Stephenson, Shale Gas and Fracking: The Science Behind the Controversy, will be published in early March. It attempts to cut through the misinformation on both sides of this emotionally charged debate and clearly present the unbiased scientific evidence to help policy makers and the public decide for themselves about shale gas and fracking. Prof. Stephenson came to the SMC to talk to journalists ahead of publication. read more
expert reaction to latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) results from its year-long survey of Campylobacter on fresh chickens
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released the latest figures from its survey of the levels of Campylobacter present on fresh chickens. read more
expert reaction to the Science and Technology Select Committee report on GM regulation
The Science and Technology Select Committee of the House of Commons has released a report on the regulation of GM techniques in agriculture, suggesting that they should be regulated in a similar way to other technologies. read more
expert reaction to survey of the sugar content of energy drinks
The group Action on Sugar has produced an analysis of the levels of sugar found in a number of energy drinks available in the UK. read more
expert reaction to study on dietary emulsifying agents and inflammation in mice
Researchers publishing in the journal Nature have examined the possibility of emulsifying agents, which are present in a range of food, contributing to adverse health effects. The authors report that in mice, the addition of two emulsifiers to their diet led to changes in the bacterial makeup of the gut as well as inflammation and related metabolic disorders, which they suggest is due to a reduction in the protective mucus barrier which lines the gut. read more
expert reaction to violence and depression
Writing in the Lancet Psychiatry, researchers have published their results of an analysis of a possible link between depression and violent crime in Sweden. They report that people with depressive symptoms were three times more likely to commit violent offences than those who had not been diagnosed with depression, and suggest that their results should be taken into account in clinical guidelines. read more
depression and violence
There has been a lot of focus on how suffering from depression can lead to self-harm and suicide. In contrast, there has been little investigation of any link between depression and violent behaviour. Experts have heard anecdotal reports, but there has been no rigorous study until now. Researchers have investigated whether there is a link between suffering from depression and perpetrating violent crime. They have used data from Sweden, comparing patients with depression to members of the general population and, further, assessed risk of violent crime in twin studies. read more
expert reaction to paper on genetic factors in sexual orientation and number of partners in females
A paper published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine has attempted to analyse sexual characteristics in female twins, with particular regard to homosexuality. They found that in their cohort of British twins, “masculine” women were more likely to be nonheterosexual and to report more sexual partners. read more
expert reaction to House of Lords parliamentary vote on mitochondrial donation
The House of Lords has voted in favour of the new regulations concerning mitochondrial donation techniques. read more
expert reaction to study on fluoridated water and hypothyroidism
A study published in the journal Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health has analysed a possible association between fluoride levels in water supplies and prevalence of hypothyroidism, suggesting that there is a correlation between the two. read more
expert reaction to new rapid antigen test for Ebola
The World Health Organization has approved the use of a rapid blood test for the detection of Ebola. Though it is less accurate than current tests, it does not require electricity and so can be used more widely. read more
is NICE approval of new drugs doing more harm than good?
Research at the University of York has estimated the effects of changes in NHS expenditure on the health of all NHS patients.* The researchers have asked whether the threshold NICE uses to judge whether the health benefits of a new drug are sufficient to justify the costs are correct. The findings, published in the Health Technology Assessment Journal, suggest that the NHS is currently paying too much for new drugs. The authors also revealed their estimates of the true costs of the Cancer Drugs Fund on other areas of health spending. read more