Monthly Archives: June 2017

The effect of moose harvest remains on natural ecosystems

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Gjermund Gomo

Out in remote Norwegian forests, moose hunters traditionally dress their kills in the field, leaving behind internal organs like liver, lungs, and intestines. These gut piles, which will be eaten by a variety of scavengers, effectively act as human food subsidies to wild species. What impact – be it positive or negative – this has on the natural forest ecosystem remains unclear. In this guest blog Gjermund Gomo discusses his new research, recently published in BMC Ecology, that uncovers who exactly is benefiting from this hunter’s gift.

Biology
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The South West Indian Ocean islands shelter a unique and novel African sub-lineage honeybee

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Dr. Maéva Techer

Bees are very much in the news at the moment, with numbers declining due to factors such as climate change, pesticides and loss of habitat. However, it’s not all bad news; an article recently published in BMC Genetics describes the rather exciting discovery of a new African subgroup of bee found only in the South West Indian Ocean (SWOI) islands. Lead author Maéva Techer tells us more about her work.

Biology

Vulnerability: Newly arrived immigrant and refugee children and the right to good health

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Ioanna D. Pavlopoulou, MD

A recently published study in BMC Pediatrics, which examined immigrant and refugee children at a tertiary children’s hospital in Greece, finds that they present specific health risks. In this blog, Ioanna D. Pavlopoulou, an author of the paper, explains why achieving the best interests of this vulnerable group should be paramount, and that Pediatricians in Europe hold the responsibility to act as their vocal advocates.

Health Medicine

Euthanasia for people with psychiatric disorders or dementia

Sigrid Dierickx

Euthanasia for people who are not terminally ill, such as those suffering from psychiatric disorders or dementia, has been legal in Belgium since 2002 but remains a controversial practice. An article published today in BMC Psychiatry, reports on the prevalence of euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis since implementation of the euthanasia law in Belgium, and describes the clinical and decision-making characteristics of these cases. In this blog, author Sigrid Dierickx tells us more about her research

Medicine

Child Health: Facing the future together

© pict rider / Fotolia

Nawsheen Boodhun

There are more than 2.2 billion children in the world and it is an undeniable fact that children represent the future. Ensuring the healthy growth and development of children and maximising their future well-being should be the prime concern of societies. Every child has the right to good health and a life free from violence and exploitation. Children’s Day is a recognised period to celebrate, promote and advocate every child’s rights and to support the building of a better world for them. Children’s day is observed on various days in different regions in the world with the celebrations taking place on the 1st of June in China. It has been found that the health status of children in China has improved remarkably over the years. In this piece we explore global child health with a focus on China.

Health
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World Refugee Day

Philippa Harris

June 20th is World Refugee day, designed to bring attention to the large number of people displaced from their homes by violence. Sadly this day is needed more than ever with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimating that there are 21.3 million people worldwide classed as refugees.

Developing World Health