news

Overhunting results in wide-spread declines in tropical mammal & bird populations Tropical mammal and bird populations dramatically decline in overhunted areas - new research reveals. The major study published in the renowned journal Science, reveals hunting accounts for a 83 percent decline in mammal populations and a 58 percent decline in bird populations in the tropical regions of Central and South America, Africa and Asia.

Wearing silk clothing offers no additional benefit for children who suffer from moderate to severe eczema, a study led by researchers at The University of Nottingham has found. The results of the trial, published in PLOS Medicine and funded by the National Institute for Health Research, revealed that wearing specialist silk garments did not reduce the severity of eczema for the children taking part, not did it reduce the amount of creams and ointments used for their eczema, or the number of skin infections experienced.

Cash is not a sufficient incentive for pregnant women in India to take up free institutional delivery services, new research shows. Less than 50% of eligible women take up the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) Indian Government cash incentive scheme. A team of researchers based at institutions in India, Australia, and the UK, including Public Health Foundation of India, the University of Adelaide, and Lancaster University, identified that more significant factors are at play, including familial support and transport challenges.

The development of new treatments for pancreatic cancer is set to be transformed by a network of clinical trials, aiming to find the right trial for the right patient, after a £10 million investment from Cancer Research UK. The investment will support the PRECISION Panc project which aims to develop personalised treatments for pancreatic cancer patients, improving the options and outcomes for a disease where survival rates have remained stubbornly low.

Young males and people who use drink or drugs are at greater risk of developing a gambling habit, according to new research from the University of Bristolk. Experts say it is an indication of an area that needs more attention if primary care services are to help those in need. The study, funded by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) and published in the British Journal of General Practice today, found that around one in 20 people waiting to see their GP at a group of surgeries in Bristol reported having a gambling problem.

The University of Bristol has been awarded a grant of £46,938 by the Forces in Mind Trust for a 15-month study to investigate domestic violence and abuse (DVA) in UK military families. The research will investigate what criteria might constitute specialist DVA provision for this group, and what service providers, if any, already meet these criteria, in order to help improve signposting to the service providers best placed to meet the needs of UK military families suffering DVA.

A one-off screening test reduces the risk of developing bowel cancer by more than one third and could save thousands of lives, a study has found. Researchers based at Imperial College London found that the test - which examines the lower part of the large bowel - prevented more than half of potential bowel cancers from developing in that area and two thirds of deaths were avoided.

Women who participate in obstetric and gynaecology clinical trials experience improved health outcomes compared to those who are not involved in trials, according to research by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). This is the case regardless of whether or not the treatment is found to be effective in the trial.

New research shows that NHS hospitals that employ private cleaners are associated with a higher incidence of MRSA, a 'superbug' that causes life-threatening infection and has previously been linked with a lack of cleanliness. The superbug is becoming increasingly difficult to treat. As from 2005, trusts have been required to regularly report incidents of MRSA, which has enabled researchers to produce empirical evidence for the first time that compares the rates of infection in hospitals that outsource cleaning with those using in-house cleaners.

PA 289/16 A topical skin cream could be used as a viable alternative to surgery for patients with a common type of skin cancer, a study led by researchers at The University of Nottingham found. The research, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology , found that imiquimod had high levels of success when used to treat basal cell carcinoma (BCC) over a period of five years.

The visual function and daily life of people whose sight can't be corrected with glasses or contact lenses can be significantly improved through home visits by rehabilitation specialists, concludes a study by Cardiff University. Participants that received home care by visual rehabilitation officers were found to have a significantly greater improvement in visual function compared to those that were only offered standard appointments at hospitals and community based services.

Women with dementia have fewer visits to the GP, receive less health monitoring and take more potentially harmful medication than men with dementia, new UCL research reveals. The study, published in Age and Ageing, also found that only half of all dementia patients had a documented annual review even though GP surgeries are offered financial incentives to carry these out.

English votes for English laws? (EVEL) has not enhanced England's voice in the UK Parliament, according a 12-month study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The study says that 'greater attention should be paid to the challenge of enhancing England's voice in the UK parliament'.

Members of Bristol's Centre for Quantum Photonics presented their latest demonstrations to industry leaders, funding bodies and government representatives at this year's Quantum Showcase in London. The researchers occupied three stands in the exhibition space at the QEII Centre in Westminster, at an event attended by industry, government and funding bodies.

Scientists are trained to carefully assess theories by designing good experiments and building on existing knowledge. But there is growing concern that too many research findings may be wrong. New research conducted by psychologists at the universities of Bristol and Exeter suggests that this may happen because of the criteria that seem to be used in funding science and promoting scientists, which place too much weight on eye-catching findings.

Too many patients - particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds - are being diagnosed with cancer as medical emergencies, say researchers. This means that their chances of successful treatment are greatly reduced. The earlier an individual can get a diagnosis of cancer, the better the prognosis and the options for treatment.

Data on injuries can be collected relatively easily at A&E departments to help understand injury patterns in communities, a study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has found.

Around 90% of people in England now take their own bags with them when food shopping as a result of the plastic carrier bag charge, new research has revealed. This has increased from 70% before the charge was introduced and was independent of age, gender or income. In addition to this, less than 1 in 15 shoppers (7%) are now regularly taking single-use carrier bags at the checkout, the research from Cardiff University shows, as opposed to 1 in 4 shoppers before the charge.

Year-long study of almost 2,000 officers across UK and US forces shows introduction of wearable cameras led to a 93% drop in complaints made against police by the public - suggesting the cameras result in behavioural changes that 'cool down? potentially volatile encounters. There can be no doubt that body-worn cameras increase the transparency of frontline policing.

New research has found that mothers reunited with their children after care proceedings in the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) are more likely to stay off drugs and alcohol for longer and their family life less likely to be disrupted when compared with cases heard in ordinary care proceedings. Over 5 years, researchers followed up cases that had been through the London FDAC and compared them with similar cases going through ordinary care proceedings.