Author Archives: Science Media Centre
further expert reaction to Schmallenberg virus in the UK
Following an SMC briefing on the Schmallenberg virus infecting UK farms, further expert comments were released. read more
expert reaction to the arrest of the leader of the LulzSec hacker group
LulzSec are a group of hackers, affiliated to the Anonymous group, whose leader was arrested by the FBI and cooperated to give information about other hackers. read more
expert encounter with Dr Charles Elachi, director of NASA’s jet propulsion lab
Dr Charles Elachi, Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, came to the SMC to talk to UK journalists about current points of interest in space exploration, including details of the Curiosity rover due to land on Mars in August 2012. read more
Schmallenberg virus: what the science says
Leading scientists in virology and veterinary epidemiology were invited to the SMC for a background briefing on the Schmallenberg virus, an emerging livestock disease first detected in Germany that is infecting British farms and causing dramatic deformities in newborn lambs and calves. read more
ongoing expert reaction to Schmallenberg virus in the UK
To accompany a background brieifing the SMC ran on the emerging livestock disease caused by the Schmallenberg virus, comments from the speakers and a Fact Sheet on the virus were sent out. read more
expert reaction to internet-based cognitive behavioural treatments for adolescents with CFS
The Lancet published research into the the effectiveness of a web-based program of cognitive behavioural therapy that appeared to reduce symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. read more
seeking views on novel neurotechnologies
The SMC hosted the Nuffield Council on Bioethics for the launch of their public consultation on ethical issues raised by new technologies and devices that intervene in the brain. The technologies could be used in health contexts as well as various military applications or in the development of computer games, and there are ethical issues over the possible consequences for individuals and society of some applications. read more
expert reaction to settlement exemption for scientists
A change to UK immigration regulations means that migrants in PhD-level positions are exempted from new restrictions on settlement. read more
expert reaction to paper on global mental health challenges
The SMC circulated reactions to a report on the challenges facing global mental health, published in PLoS Medicine. read more
expert reaction to study of outcomes of art therapy in schizophrenics
A paper in the BMJ looked at the efficacy of group art therapy for people with schizophrenia. read more
expert reaction to paper linking common sleeping pills with increased risk of death
A study published in BMJ Open reported an association between the use of several commonly used sedative drugs and an increase in the risk of dying from a number of causes. read more
expert reaction to recent cases of Schmallenberg livestock virus
The emerging livestock disease caused by the Schmallenberg virus hit the headlines after infecting a substantial number of British farms and causing major birth defects in sheep and cattle. read more
expert reaction to possible errors in OPERA neutrino measurement
News from the OPERA collaboration at CERN that they had found two possible sources of error in the apparent recording of neutrinos travelling faster than the speed of light. The SMC sent out responses. read more
expert reaction to new study on bisphenol A (BPA) and heart disease
A study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation showed the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) was associated with an increased risk of heart disease. read more
expert reaction to meta-analysis of H5N1 surveillance data, as published in Science
The SMC sought comments in response to a meta-analysis in the journal Science which used blood serum data to show a much higher global rate of infection with the flu virus H5N1 than reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
expert reaction to study of breast cancer genetics as published in The Journal of Pathology
The Journal of Pathology published a study which suggested three new genes implicated in breast cancer cells and sequenced the DNA of two breast cancers caused by a faulty BRCA1 gene. read more
expert reaction to study of antipsychotics and mortality in elderly dementia patients as published in BMJ
A study in the British Medical Journal suggested that elderly nursing home residents taking certain antipsychotic medication had an increased risk of death. read more
expert reaction to study of mechanism for cognitive enhancement in rats, as published in PLoS Biology
A study in rats, published in the journal PLoS Biology suggested that the compound AMPA might be used as a drug to improve cognitive performance. The SMC gathered reactions. read more
expert reaction to study of endometriosis and risk of ovarian cancer as published in The Lancet Oncology
Expert reaction to a study in The Lancet Oncology that showed endometriosis increases the risk of certain types of ovarian cancer. read more
expert reaction to study of neurotransmitters and response to financial loss as published in Molecular Psychiatry
A paper published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry suggested that the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (noradrenaline) may have a role to play in how people respond to financial loss. read more