Issue 141 July 8 - 14
Don't reach for the
salt shaker just yet...
A study on the benefits of lowering salt intake received a cautious response from the scientific community this week.
The comprehensive study from the Cochrane Library of Reviews analysed data from all available clinical trials examining the impact of modestly lowering dietary salt.
In a plain language summary, the authors stated that "cutting down on the amount of salt has no clear benefits in terms of likelihood of dying or experiencing cardiovascular disease"
Data from 6,489 individuals were included in the final analysis. However, in an accompanying press release the authors did note that up to 18,000 individuals may be needed before benefits could be shown clearly.
This caveat did not stop some overseas news outlets hastily reporting that: "salt is safe to eat - and cutting our daily intake does nothing to lower the risk of suffering from heart disease" or "eating less salt will not prevent heart attacks, strokes or early death". This reporting received sharp rebuke from the NHS in the UK.
Cochrane reviews represent some of the strongest analyses of clinical research and are held in high regard for their thoroughness. However, in this case there is just not enough available research to draw any solid findings with regard to salt.
The authors' cautious conclusion that more data is needed has been backed by New Zealand experts, who continue to support the lowering of salt in our diets.
Prof Beaglehole Emeritus Professor, University of Auckland said,
"There is not yet sufficient evidence on hard outcomes, though there is plenty of evidence that salt reduction reduces blood pressure. A decent mortality study is still required. In the meantime, we should be doing all we can to reduce salt intakes".
You can read more expert commentary, collected by the NZ and UK Science Media Centres, here.
Briefing:
Experts on synthetic cannabis
Media attention has been steadily building on the issue of legally available synthetic cannabinoid smoking blends such as Kronic.
The SMC will next week be hosting an online briefing to provide journalists with new information and the opportunity to quiz leading experts on this rapidly developing issue.
Journalists registered with the SMC will be sent more
details on the briefing soon... stay tuned
On the
science radar
Partying penguins, the beauty spot, flapping robots, mechanical worms, germ-killer coating and geophantasmograms.
Taking the 'green revolution' to
business
A group of high-flying entrepreneurs and businessmen have put their weight behind a campaign to turn New Zealand businesses green.
The Pure Advantage team is pushing to convince NZ businesses and politicians that "there's money in being green".
Their campaign,announced at a press conference last night, is backed by the likes of Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe, Warehouse founder Sir Stephen Tindall and Jeremy Moon of Icebreaker fame.
Rob Morrison, Chair of the board of trustees explained to the New Zealand Herald: "We can't afford to let our reputation, and consequently our exporters, suffer for lack of environmental leadership."
While the environment is the central to the initiative, Pure Advantage are not hiding the financially focused, if some-what cynical, nature of their lobbying. Their website displays pointed quotes such as:
"China has committed a trillion dollars to alternative energy. And it's not because they care about trees."
And, "even if you don't believe in climate change, there's money to be made doing something about it."
The arrival of Pure Advantage comes the same week as the release of a discussion paper on green growth from Ministry of Economic Development, and follows an earlier OECD economic survey which noted that green growth "would be a key advantage" for New Zealand.
You
can read more about Pure Advantage and its history in this article from
Ideologue.
Scientists cast doubt on
trout pollution
Scientists are questioning statements by a prominent dairy industry representative, suggesting trout are a 'disastrous species' - no better than 'freshwater stoats' - and that farmers have been unfairly blamed for their impacts on declining water quality.
The allegations were made in a speech last week by outgoing Federated Farmers Dairy chairperson Lachlan McKenzie, urging members to use good science and their own judgement to distinguish fact from opinion.
Experts in freshwater, aquatic ecosystems and water quality contacted the SMC with their reactions to statements made in the speech.
Assoc Prof Russell Death, from Massey University, took paticular umbrage with McKenzie's misrepresentation of islolated studies, noting,
"Research at Otago University has shown that brown trout can affect New Zealand freshwater ecosystems. Lachlan McKenzie in a speech to Federated Farmers believes this research provides evidence that trout, and not agricultural land use intensification, are to blame for many of the algal proliferations found in New Zealand waterways.
"As scientists we are always accused of having too many caveats around our research, but similarly we must be equally careful that the findings from any particular study are not used to make conclusions about wider issues for which they were not intended."
You can read the full response from scientists and a roundup of the resulting media coverage on the SMC site.
Quoted: Otago Daily
Times
"Unless Lachlan McKenzie has
witnessed trout emerging from streams and churning up the
land with their big fat hooves, he will find it difficult to
shift responsibility from cows to trout"
-
Professor Colin Townsend, University of Otago
New from the SMC
In the News:
Quit
smoking drug increases heat risk - A new study has
found that a smoking cessation drug prescribed in New
Zealand is associated with an increased risk of heart
attacks, leading the media to investigate the drug
further.
Scientists swamp Stewart Island: The New Zealand Marine Science Society's annual conference has attracted media attention - despite is this year being held far south in Oban, Stewart Island.
Experts Respond:
Reduced salt benefits? A review of
scientific literature by The Cochrane Library suggests
moderate reductions in salt intake don't lead to reduced
risk of a person suffering cardiovascular events or dying.
Experts contacted by the SMC examine the
findings.
Doubt on trout pollution -
Scientists question statements by a prominent
dairy industry representative, who suggested trout are a
'disastrous species' - no better than 'freshwater stoats' -
and that farmers have been unfairly blamed for dairy impacts
on declining water quality. A roundup of media coverage is also available.
Briefings
Ecosystem services - Soil, water, energy, air, wildlife and minerals - they underpin our economy, but go largely unrecognised when it comes to tallying up the balance sheet. The SMC held a briefing with experts following the release of a Royal Society emerging issues paper.
Reflections on Science:
Trains, genes and progress - In his
inaugural monthly column for the Rotarua Daily Post, Dr
Warren Parker (Scion CEO) examines the issue of genetic
modification in an careful light, acknowledging the
benefits but also highlighting the need to "proceed with
caution".
From the AusSMC
Geo-briefings - The AusSMC has held several briefings with experts from the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) conference in Melbourne. Topics included: The sources of green house gases, building disaster-proof superstructures and predicting natural disasters.
SKA pitch- The AusSMC also held a briefing on New Zeland and Australia's bid to build the coveted Square Kilometer Array radio telescope network.
Sciblogs
highlights
Some of the highlights from this week's posts include:
Debates in the philosophy of science
- Is science the only way to the truth? Ken Perrott examines
an ongoing debate in the blogosphere.
Open
parachute
Markets and the scientific method -
Shaun Hendy goes undercover at the New Zealand Association
of Economists to conference to get the gossip on
innovation.
A Measure of Science
Scientist for a Day stirs the innovation
pot - Peter Kerr looks at the latest from IRL's
Scientist for a Day initiative, a program which places
scientists with businesses.
sticK
Our greatest journey - A musical
exploration of the 'out-of-Africa' hypothesis leads David
Winter to reflect on mankind's origins and highlight an
understated Kiwi connection to the research that uncovered
them..
The atavism
Murder: head in David Attenborough's
garden... Anna Sandiford highlights a case of murder
that has been in centuries in the making.
Forensic
Scientist
Research
highlights
Please note: hyperlinks point, where possible, to the relevant abstract or paper.
Pregnancy prevents education - or vice
versa? In almost every country, women with more
education have fewer children. But does education reduce
childbearing, or does childbearing get in the way of
education, or both? New research has found that, at least
among a population of Norwegian women, childbearing impeded
education more than education impeded childbearing.
Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences.
Saturn's great white storm: A
huge storm raging on the surface of Saturn has been
documented in unprecedented detail. Observations from nearby
space craft combined with imagery from earth-based
telescopes have captured the storm as well as lightning
strikes far more powerful and intense than any the earth has
experienced. Images available.
Nature
Do you have an
ethical face? New research has explored the relationship
between genetically-determined physical characteristics and
morality. The authors of the study demonstrate that a stable
physical characteristic, the facial width-to-height ratio,
predicts unethical behaviour in men. Specifically, our
research shows that men with wider faces (relative to facial
height) feel more powerful, and these feelings of power lead
directly to lying and cheating.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B:
Biological Sciences
Satisfaction leads to
a happy heart: Following the latest results from a study
of almost 8000 participants, researchers say that a
satisfying life is indeed good for the heart. The
investigation showed that higher levels of average life
satisfaction in certain life areas, such as one's job,
family, sex life, and self , were associated with a reduced
risk of heart disease in both men and women.
European Heart Journal
Air
pollution impacts brain health: Long-term exposure to
air pollution can lead to physical changes in the brain, as
well as learning and memory problems and even depression,
new research in mice suggests. While other studies have
shown the damaging effects of polluted air on the heart and
lungs, this is one of the first long-term studies to show
the negative impact on the brain.
Molecular
Psychiatry
Elusive blood stem cells
captured: Researchers have isolated rare, self-renewing
hematopoetic stem cells that continuously replenish mature
blood cells over the human lifetime. Their work could help
scientists better understand the biology of these stem cells
and move toward harnessing them for therapies such as
transplantation. Isolating these stem cells has been
difficult, since they are hard to distinguish from other
cells.
Science
Policy
updates
Some of the highlights of this week's policy news:
Chinese medicine seeks regulation - Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners have applied to the Ministry of Health to be regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and midwifery are just some of the other professions already regulated by the act.
Chch push on metal health -Efforts are being stepped up to support quake-stricken Cantabrians with more resources being channelled into mental health services - including: extended GP consultations, increased counselling support and a new specialist earthquake response team.
Elderly health guidelines updated - Dementia sufferers and older people with mental health and addiction problems will benefit from new guidelines for treatment services. The national guidelines aim to improve access to services and provide consistency in service delivery.
Upcoming sci-tech
events
Feeding issues during infancy and childhood - Human Nutrition Symposium - 14 July, Auckland.
Mid-Winter Dialogues: Wayne Mapp MP - University of Otago, Christchurch, Midwinter Dialogue Series - 15 July, Christchurch.
The Russian heat wave and other recent climate extremes - Seminar by Kevin E Trenberth for the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute - 15 July, Wellington.
For these and more upcoming events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events Calendar.
ENDS