Author Archives: Science Media Centre
a battle too far?
Recently Chris Elliott, Professor of Food Safety at Queens University Belfast, finally got to publish the findings of his independent … read more
expert reaction to e-cigarette use among patients with cancer
Researchers publishing in the journal Cancer have reported their findings that e-cigarettes may not help cancer patients stop smoking. read more
expert reaction to studies on carbon emissions
Researchers have published three reports across Nature Geoscience and Nature Climate Change on quotas for carbon emissions and limiting climate change. read more
expert reaction to non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) and glucose intolerance
A paper published in the journal Nature has reported an association between intake of artificial sweeteners and glucose intolerance. read more
expert reaction to phthalates in pregnancy and asthma in children
A study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has reported a link between prenatal exposure to phthalate and risk of asthma. read more
expert reaction to autism, schizophrenia and birth size
Researchers have reported a link between birth size and two mental health conditions: low birth weight correlated positively with schizophrenia and negatively with autism, while the opposite was true with high birth weight. The study, reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B looked at a large cohort, but saw small changes in absolute risk. read more
expert reaction to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression
Researchers have published a paper in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, reporting a study showing a benefit for adults with depression up to a follow up-period of 12 months when transcranial magnetic stimulation was used as part of treatment. read more
expert reaction to new study of groundwater contamination above shale gas fields
Researchers have reported in the journal PNAS on the causes of contamination of groundwater around shale gas wells in Pennsylvania and Texas. They state that contamination was due to poor build quality of wells, rather than being a direct result of the fracking process. read more
expert reaction to study showing human stem cells ‘reset’ to the earliest developmental state
Researchers have reported in the journal Cell the ability to reset human pluripotent stem cells to the embryonic stem cell state, through expression of transcription factors and inhibition of signalling pathways. read more
Icelandic volcanoes
The ongoing eruption of the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga continues to raise concerns from the public. read more
proton beam therapy
The SMC hosted a briefing with five experts about Proton Beam Therapy: what it is, how it works, who it’s appropriate for and under what circumstances. Proton beam therapy has been brought to the attention of the public and the media through the case of Ashya King, a child with medulloblastoma, and two UK centres aim to treat patients with proton beam therapy by 2018. read more
expert reaction to cannabis, suicide and reduced educational attainment
Researchers have published in The Lancet Psychiatry reporting a link between cannabis use in adolescents and suicide, further drug use and dependence, as well as reduced educational attainment. read more
expert reaction to benzodiazepine use and Alzheimer’s disease
Researches publishing in the British Medical Journal investigated a link between the use of benzodiazepine and Alzheimer’s disease in older patients. read more
expert reaction to the World Meteorological Organization’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin
The World Meteorological Organization reported that the volumes of atmospheric greenhouse gases rose to the highest levels, and at the fastest rate since accurate recording began. read more
expert reaction to study mapping areas potentially at risk of further Ebola outbreaks
A study published in the journal eLife investigated the transmission of Ebola in light of changing population movement and networks, suggesting areas which are at risk from future outbreaks. read more
expert reaction to Ebola immunity generated in nonhuman primates
A study published in Nature Medicine reported the use of two vaccines to protect against Ebolavirus in macaques, with protection observed up to ten months after vaccination. read more
expert reaction to the WHO consultation on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines
The World Heath Organisation published a consultation based on therapies and vaccines under development for the treatment of Ebola, highlighting the need for evaluation and allocation of treatments, alongside the prioritisation of patient care and health worker safety. read more
e-cigarettes: a critique of the WHO reports
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published two reports calling for further regulation and the banning of e-cigarette use indoors. Experts critiqued the evidence behind the claims in a report published in the journal Addiction. read more
expert reaction to latest BIS/Mori poll on public attitudes to animal research
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills along with Ipsos MORI published a report on public awareness of, and attitudes towards animal research. read more
expert reaction to new research on activity levels and telomere length
A study looking at an association between levels of activity of overweight individuals and telomere length was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. read more