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Science Media Centre Update Issue 144
Issue 144 July 29 - August 4
Report
highlights avoidable deaths
A report on maternal and
perinatal deaths has raised some tough questions about
maternal care in New Zealand.
The Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee (PMMRC) released a report this week examining the state of New Zealand's care of expecting and new mothers.
The PMMRC reviews maternal deaths and all deaths of infants from 20 weeks gestation to 28 completed days after birth, or weighing at least 400g if gestation is unknown.
The full report is available here.
The committee advises the Health Quality & Safety Commission on how to reduce the number of deaths of babies and mothers in New Zealand. Its latest report included figures on avoidable deaths.
"For the first time we are reporting that a number of perinatal deaths were potentially avoidable," said PMMRC Chair, Professor Cynthia Farquhar.
"Of all perinatal deaths, 14 percent were thought to be potentially avoidable. That amounts to 98 lives that could have potentially been saved".
The media have focused
heavily on the '100 needless deaths' statistic, drawing a
rapid response from the Government.
Following the release
of the report, Minister of Health Tony Ryall said in a press
release:
"Each one of these cases is a tragedy and the Government is determined that the public health service can do better.
"Clearly some things need to change - that's what the Government's maternity quality and safety programme is about. We are determined to improve the services new parents and babies receive."
Media coverage of the report and a summary of the report's findings are available on the SMC website.
Carbon pricing and
climate change risks
The 7th annual Australia-NZ
Climate Change & Business Conference starts in Wellington
next week (1-2 August).
The event highlights case studies from 17 businesses -- including Fonterra, Qantas, Zespri, Fletcher Building, NZ Aluminium Smelters and Contact Energy -- on how they are managing climate change related risks.
There will also be contributions from Dr Harry Clark, head of the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre and Dr Suzi Kerr, Motu Research economist, on land use and emissions trading implications.
Visiting speakers include industry experts from China, Korea, Japan and the US, who will present business case studies on the response of energy, manufacturing and other sectors to policy developments in their respective countries.
Of note -- Dr Sang Hee Yoo, director of research on future strategies and green growth for Korea's largest carbon emitter, POSCO Steel will be attending. POSCO announced a partnership New Zealand clean-tech firm Lanzatech earlier this year, planning collaborate on capturing industrial gases for conversion to ethanol.
For more information see the conference website.
Quoted: NewsTalk ZB
"Just to extrapolate failed policies and failed approaches to the developing world would be a tragedy."
Sir Peter Gluckman,
on preventing obesity in developing
countries
On the science
radar
Energy-stingy sloths, invisibility cloaks, the Jesus-bot, Li-Fi future, sucking fish, mind-controlled machines.
Committee
cautious on prostate screening
The Health Select
Committee has opted not to recommend a national screening
programme for prostate cancer
The
committee made its recommendations in a report released Wednesday, based on an
inquiry into early detection and treatment of prostate
cancer initiated in May 2009.
Following extensive consultation, the committee determined that blanket use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening tests would be unwise, given the test's lack of sensitivity. Not all men who exhibit high PSA levels go on to develop prostate cancer.
The committee instead recommended "that the Ministry of Health encourage and promote the case for men to seek up-to-date evidence-based information from their general practitioners about the advantages and disadvantages of screening and treatment for prostate cancer".
Pathologist Prof Brett Delahunt of Otago University lauded the recommendation not to proceed with a national programme. Speaking to NZPA he reflected on the decision,
"I think we're getting there ... but to go for a full national screening programme I think is premature. I think that every urologist and pathologist in New Zealand would agree with me"
Related media coverage can be found on the SMC website.
New from the
SMC
In the News:
Early start needed to tackle obesity - in a
commentary article Sir Peter Gluckman and several colleagues
have called for international policy makers
to take a long view of the causes of obesity and related
diseases.
High depression rates in NZ - New Zealand consistently ranks poorly in a variety of depression statistics, according to a new comparison of international data. The Dominion Post's Kate Newton asks, why?
Whale Survey in Cook Strait - The annual Cook Strait Whale Survey is underway and two stuff.co.nz journalists taking part have uncovered a whale hunting legacy that goes back a hundred years.
Project Energize -
Children taking part in an initiative called Project
Energize show significant health benefits. Kids taking part
in the project, which promotes healthy eating and exercise,
are less obese and fitter than other children, according to
a report published this week.
Reflections
on Science:
Climate complexity -
In the New Zealand Herald, meteorologist Jim Hessell describes the complexity of the earth's
atmosphere and how it will react to increasing greenhouse
gases.
How much salt? - In a
feature for the Press, writer Kate Fraser investigates the health effects of salt
and what we are doing to mitigate them. We know salt isn't
great for us - but how much is too much?
Experts Respond:
Primate
research in UK - A new report published this week
recommends that scientific research on monkeys should
continue in the UK - subject to rigorous safeguards.
Funding bodies and researchers comment on the report's
conclusions.
AusSMC:
Hendra Virus in dogs - Australian authorities announced this week that a dog had been diagnosed with Hendra virus. It is reportedly the first time an animal other than a bat, horse or human has contracted the disease. The AusSMC has collected expert commentary on the discovery.
Sciblogs highlights
Some of the highlights from this week's posts include:
The current 'cool' factor in science
- Young New Zealander of the year and SciBlogs guest
blogger, Jamie Fenton, reflects on how youth perceive
science.
GuestWork
Crowd-sourcing for snow depth data -
Ross Woods harnesses the power of the internet to build a
data set of snow depth around the South Island.
Waiology
Haemophilia - towards a cure using genetic
engineering - Grant Jacobs reviews recent research
in gene therapy which could provide a treatment from
haemophiliacs.
Code for Life
Hard Talk on the wrong track - In
the light of a recent BBC Hardtalk interview with the chair
of the IPCC, Bryant Walker critically examines the role of
the media in climate change coverage.
Hot Topic
Breivik's terrorism and science -
The architect of Norway's tragedy, Andreas Breivik, held
strong views on several scientific issues, according to Ken
Perrott.
Open Parachute
Research highlights
Please note: hyperlinks point, where possible, to the relevant abstract or paper.
NZ ranks high for
depression: A new study has compared depression rates
from around the globe and found that New Zealand
consistently ranks highly in terms of depression incidence.
Based on detailed interviews with over 89,000 people, this
international survey found major depressive episodes were
more common in individuals from developed, high income
countries.
BMC Medicine
Sheep nibble at
tree ring history: Tree ring thickness can be used to
examine local climate history. However, new research has
found herbivores may have a greater impact on the width of
tree rings than climate. In an experimental setting,
researchers found the presence of sheep was linked with
decreases in ring width, which is also a marker of
less-than-optimal seasonal temperatures. The study's
findings could help increase the accuracy of the tree ring
record as a way of estimating past climatic
conditions.
Functional Ecology
Plants
use sound to attract bats: The oddly shaped leaves above
the flowers of the vine Marcgravia evenia beckon bat
pollinators by emitting a strong acoustic echo. Researchers
found that the conspicuous echoes of dish-shaped leaves
attract bat pollinators by being louder and covering a
broader echo detection range than typical leaves.
Science
Candida test
identifies dangerous infections: New Zealand researchers
have found that a collection of genetically similar strains
of the fungus Candida albicans are twice as lethal, in
younger patients, than other strains. The researchers have
subsequently developed a PCR test that can be used for risk
assessments of patients presenting with candida
infection.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Parkinson's and P: Methamphetamine ('P')
abuse has been linked with an increased incidence of
Parkinson's disease. Researchers mined almost 300,000
hospital records covering 16 years. Patients admitted to
hospital for methamphetamine or amphetamine-use disorders
had a 76 per cent higher risk of developing Parkinson's
disease compared to those with no disorder.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Light locks in implants: A new type of
implant can be injected in liquid form, molded, and locked
into place by exposure to a special type of light, reports a
new study.The implant polymers, composed of synthetic
poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and natural hyaluronic acid
(HA), showed excellent results in both rats and humans,
indicating it may to be a useful tool for reconstructing
delicate facial soft tissue. Images available.
Science Translational Medicine
Policy updates
Some of the highlights of this week's policy news:
Maternal health improvements - Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced that two years of work on a new maternity quality and safety programme is coming to fruition. This includes a rebuilt information system going live this weekend to better record and monitor antenatal, birth and postnatal care.
Blood & DHB appointments - The Minister of Health has announced re-appointments to the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) board, and a new appointment to the Lakes District Health Board.
Upcoming sci-tech
events
Air Quality - a Healthy Balance -
International Clean Air and Environment Conference - 31 July
- 2 August, Auckland.
Using ocean drilling to unlock the secrets of slow slip events - IODP Workshop - 1-5 August, Gisborne.
7th Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference - 1-2 August, Wellington.
Out of Africa:The Allan Wilson Legacy - lecture from Professor Rebecca Cann - 1 August, Dunedin; 3 August, Nelson; 4 August, Palmerston North; 5 August, Wellington.
Bad Ideas: Will our best technology finish us off? - Public lecture by Prof Robert Winston - 2 August, Wellington.
Carbohydrates: friend or foe? - Lecture from Prof Lynnette Ferguson and Dr Nicholas Gant - 4 August, Wellington.
For these and more upcoming
events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events Calendar.
Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand's only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
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