Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to increased BMI and cardiometabolic risk markers
Researchers publishing in the journal PLOS Medicine have studied metabolic markers and changes in weight, reporting variations in these markers with changes in weight, fat level, and BMI. read more
MBRRACE-UK: Report into maternal deaths
Whilst rates of maternal deaths in the UK have been declining over the last ten years, there are still around 80 deaths during or after childbirth each year and in the majority of cases these women had pre-existing medical or mental health conditions. Ensuring pregnant women receive flu jabs and closer monitoring for sepsis after birth could reduce the number of deaths. This will be the 60th consecutive year in which maternal deaths are reviewed through the MBRRACE-UK programme read more
expert reaction to death of mother, believed to have depression, and baby
The bodies of a mother and baby who went missing from hospital shortly after the baby’s birth have been found. read more
expert reaction to male fruit fly diets and obesity in their offspring
Researchers studying the effects of the paternal diet of male fruit flies on the metabolic epigenetic and phenotypic profiles of their offspring have published their findings in the journal Cell. They report that short-term changes to sugar intake of the father were able to influence obesity of future offspring. read more
expert reaction to new drug used to encourage nerve growth in rats with spinal cord injury
Researchers publishing in the journal Nature have described their work to treat spinal cord injury in mice. They report that by treating the mice with a small portion of a specific protein, they were able to recover function to parts affected by the injury. read more
expert reaction to 2014 temperature data from the WMO
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said that 2014 is likely to be one of, if not the hottest year on record. This is the case for the UK and on a global scale, and they say that this is in part due to high global sea temperatures. read more
expert reaction to Mediterranean diet and telomere length
A study published in The BMJ has explored a link between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and the length of telomeres, the ends of chromosomes, which have in the past been associated with ageing. They report that telomeres were longer in those with greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet. read more
expert reaction to UK launch of 23andMe genetic testing service
A new personal genetic testing service, 23andMe, has been launched in the UK. The service provides the raw genome of the user as well as tools for deciphering it. read more
are Britain’s nuclear plants fit for purpose?
Most of Britain’s operating nuclear reactors are of a type that nobody else in the world has. Over recent months we have seen media reports about cracks in the reactor cores, problems with the boiler units and claims that the regulators are “moving the goalposts” to allow them to operate for longer than they should. Are the current nuclear plants fit for purpose, will they keep the lights on this winter, and for how long can we rely on them to soldier on? read more
expert reaction to the chief medical officer’s recommendation to vaccinate toddlers against flu virus
The UK’s chief medical officer, Prof. Dame Sally Davies, has recommended that toddlers be vaccinated against the influenza virus. read more
expert reaction to reversing common form of autism in mice
A study published in the journal Cell Reports has suggested that increased levels of a specific protein can lead to outcomes which are similar to those seen in fragile X syndrome (FXS). FXS is a genetic cause of autism, and the paper reports that the levels of the protein in question can be controlled by modification of a second protein. read more
expert reaction to the publishing of the Food Standards Agency’s retail survey on levels of Campylobacter on chicken
The Food Standards Agency has released figures on the levels of Campylobacter present on supermarket poultry. Campylobacter is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK. read more
expert reaction to report on coffee consumption and Alzheimer’s risk
A report by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee has explored the link between Alzheimer’s disease and coffee consumption, suggesting that coffee may have a protective effect. read more
expert reaction to the Royal Society’s new report: Resilience to extreme weather
The Royal Society has released a report examining global resilience to extreme weather, reflecting on the current and future climate, as well as changes in demographics. The report looks at the impact of weather events and what might be done to mitigate their effects, including by using engineering approaches. read more
expert reaction to preliminary results from phase I trial of chimpanzee adenovirus vector Ebola vaccine (cAd3-EBO)
Researchers writing in the New England Journal of Medicine have discussed their finding from a phase I clinical trial using an Ebola vaccine derived from a chimpanzee adenovirus. The trial used twenty healthy adults, and the research group report no safety concerns. read more
expert reaction to study reporting proton transport through graphene
Researchers publishing in the journal Nature have described the transport of protons through monolayers of graphene, a material which is made up of carbon which is one atom thick. read more
geoengineering: can it help combat climate change?
The first UK funded research projects on geoengineering are about to finish. The principal investigators from each project came to the SMC to discuss the conclusions of their work and whether they see a place for geoengineering in a warming world. read more
expert reaction to review of reported link between early life exposure to paracetamol and asthma
A paper published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal has reviewed the literature around the exposure to paracetamol prenatally and in infancy, and incidence of childhood asthma. They report that although the studies in question found a link, they tended to be variable and did not fully account for confounding factors. read more
expert reaction to research suggesting the same regions in brain are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia
A paper published in the journal PNAS has reported their findings that the pattern of brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease is similar, though the former usually develops earlier in life, and the latter is associated with ageing. read more
expert reaction to research on Antarctic sea ice
Researchers have published in the journal Nature Geoscience their efforts to map the thickness of sea ice in the Antarctic using an autonomous underwater vehicle. The team provide new estimates for characteristics of the Antarctic sea ice, and suggest that it may in fact be thicker than previous estimates proposed. read more