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This week in sci-tech

This week in sci-tech


Zika - latest developments

The WHO has declared an international emergency as Zika virus continues to spread - and dominate international media coverage.

On Monday the World Health Organisation classified the virus and associated cases of microcephaly a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Accusations of GM insects spreading the virus, Zika cases in Europe and the possibility of sexual transmission are a few of the latest developments brought to light in the ensuing international reporting on Zika.

GM Mosquitoes: cause or cure?

UK experts have slammed reports that genetically modified mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of Zika in Brazil. The mosquitoes, developed by insect control company Oxitec, use the sterile insect technique to limit reproduction in existing mosquito populations. They were released in Brazil in 2015 in the same area as a clustering of Zika cases currently.

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Prof Michael Bonsall, Professor of Mathematical Biology at the University of Oxford, told the UK SMC it was unlikely that this disease cluster is caused by the release of GM mosquitoes.

"The GM insect trials underway in Brazil are self-limiting male mosquitoes – these mosquitoes pass a lethality gene onto their offspring and these mosquitoes die before they reach the adult stage, the aim being to make the mosquito population smaller. Also – and importantly – male mosquitoes don’t bite."

Just how effective are Oxitec's GM mosquitoes for controlling natural mosquito populations? US experts contacted by theGenetic Expert News Service were unsure of the projects long term success.

“Results from field trials in Brazil for Oxitec’s existing genetically engineered mosquitoes are encouraging," said Dr Thomas Scott, Distinguished Professor of Entomology and Epidemiology at the University of California.

"The big challenge for this approach is logistics. How do you scale this system up to the huge areas and cities that need to be treated? I have not seen a clear, convincing answer to this critical question."

US case suggests sexual transmission

Officials at Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS)have received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the first Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission in Dallas County in 2016. The patient was infected with the virus after having sexual contact with an ill individual who returned from Venezuela, where the Zika virus is present.

"The report of an isolated case of Zika being transmitted through sex should be treated with caution but warrants greater investigation," warned Oxford's Prof Michael Bonsall.

“If it is confirmed to be sexually transmitted then this opens up a second route to Zika transmission – disease models need greater clarity on all aspects of transmission to provide relevant predictions of the likely public health impacts of Zika.”

Pregnant Zika case reported in Spain

In Spain, health authorities have confirmed a pregnant woman recently returned from Colombia is infected with the virus. It is the first reported case in Europe and officials are confident the virus is unlikely to spread.

You can read more Science Media Centre expert commentary on all these stories, collated here.

Convicted for science

Italian seismologist says scientists, officials, the media and the public all need to learn lessons of L'Aquila.


Dr Giulio Selvaggi's life was turned upside down when he, along with six other colleagues were convicted by an Italian court of manslaughter in October 2012.

The convictions, which sent shock waves through the international scientific community, related to advice the scientists and a public official assembled in the run up to the devastating earthquake that struck the town of L'Aquila in April 2009, killing 309 people.

Selvaggi, who in 2014 would finally have his conviction overturned along with all but one of his co-defendants, told a Wellington audience last night that "education" was key to avoiding the conditions that led to a massive backlash against the scientists in the wake of the tragedy.

Local residents already nervous after a swarm of tremors, a self-proclaimed earthquake predictor and a disastrous media interview with a public official that downplayed the seismic risk all contributed to a serious communication breakdown.

In New Zealand, visiting colleagues at GNS Science, Dr Selvaggi said the case showed the importance of efforts to communicate risk and uncertainty effectively.

Sciblogs writer Dr Sarah Jane O'Connor was at last night's lecture and filed this report.

Read this excellent in-depth report from Matter writer David Wolman on the L'Aquila tragedy and the subsequent court case.

Dr Selvaggi's public lecture on the L'Aquila case was the first of three Royal Society of New Zealand lecture in a series titled 'Talking Science'. Read more about upcoming lectures here. A video of Dr Selvaggi's talk will also be posted on the Royal Society website in the next week.

Public engagement guidelines for researchers

An effort to offer guidance to researchers looking to engage with the public has kicked off with the Royal Society opening public consultation on the guidelines it has drafted.

Consultation sessions are being held in major centres. The guidelines point out that "informed public discussion and policy decision making" occurs when the issues are effectively communicated.

Visit the Royal Society website for details of the draft guidelines, consultation sessions and to make a submission.

Policy news & developments

Manuka boost: The Mānuka Planting Initiative was launched this week as part of the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan.

Fungicide submission: The Environmental Protection Authority is calling for submissions on an application to import for release Elatus Plus fungicide.

ETS review: Three technical reports have been released to help New Zealanders engage with the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) review, covering economic modelling, forestry and the scheme's performance.

Bowel cancer decline

Increasing economic development is linked with growing rates of bowel cancer, but some high-income countries – including New Zealand – seem to be exceptions, according to a global cancer study.


Drawing on data from 184 countries, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer found that rates of bowel cancer increased with levels of economic development.

The research, published this week in the journal Gut, noted that some countries with the highest levels of economic development were now showing decreases in the rates of bowel cancer and deaths from bowel cancer. New Zealand and Australia were included in this group along with Iceland, France the USA and Japan.

The authors say the downward trend seen in these countries is likely linked to improved detection and treatment of the disease. But the findings point to a much greater disease toll in low and middle income countries in the years to come, particularly for emerging economies.

They also acknowledge that some of the countries showing decreasing trends still have colorectal cancer rates among the highest in the world.

Assoc Prof Diana Sarfati from University of Otago, Wellington, told the SMC these downward trends are "not equally spread though the population", with incidence and mortality rates decreasing far more quickly for NZ Europeans than for Maori and Pacific groups.

“Once a national bowel cancer screening programme is in place, we should expect to see death rates from bowel cancer declining further,” she said.

Read more expert commentary on the Science Media Centre website.

Quoted: Newshub


"They are notoriously difficult to breed and it's probably fair to say that I know that better than most, as it has taken me 38 years to get here."

Zookeeper Isolde McGeorge from Chester Zoo in the UK, comments on the birth of a new tuatara.


ends


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