Found at Science Media Centre:
“Here at the Science Media Centre we keep a close eye on Kiwi scientists published in big international peer-reviewed journals.
It was pleasing then to this week see not one but three papers authored by New Zealand researchers featured in Science, and other articles and papers in The Lancet, Proceedings of the Royal Society B and Geology – among others.
The Lancet’s editorial this week focused on research from the University of Otago’s Dr Michael Baker, who along with colleagues analysed five million hospital admissions for infectious diseases over a 20 year period and found they increased by 51.3%, while admissions for non infectious diseases increased by only 7.6%.
The Lancet noted that the research has important implications beyond New Zealand to stimulate research and action “where cultural or socioeconomic inequalities may predispose to disparities in health outcomes”.
The Lancet editorial added:
“Despite a small budget, New Zealand has set an example by measuring health disparities for several outcomes in its population. By doing so, such disparities have rightly informed political debate and policy about health in vulnerable populations.”
In Science Landcare Research’s Dr Matt McGlone has a perspective article on Australian research suggesting humans killed off giant herbivores (see picture) in Australia. The University of Canterbury’s Dr Daniel Stouffer, a food webs expert, also featured in Science with research that could hold the key to prioritising conservation needs in New Zealand and overseas. Also in Science is Canterbury’s Professor Jason Tylianakis. Three quarters of the world’s food crops require pollination by animals, usually insects, but international research including Professor Jason Tylianakis shows that this free service provided by nature is under threat.”