Author Archives
In short, I review clinical research on an almost daily basis. What I post tends to be articles that are relevant to the readers in addition to some curiosities that have intriguing potential.
As a hobby, I truly enjoy the puzzle-solving play that statistics and programming as in the python language bring to the table. I just do not enjoy problem-solving, I love problem-solving and the childlike inspiration and exploration of that innocent exhilaration of discovering something new.
Enjoy ;-)
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Eating small amounts of red and processed meats may increase risk of death
A new study out of Loma Linda University Health suggests that eating red and processed meats — even in small amounts — may increase the risk of death from all causes, especially cardiovascular disease. Source: Eating small amounts of red… Read More ›
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Common medication used in pregnancy may lead to obesity in children
Metformin, a common drug used for type 2 diabetes, has several benefits when the mother has PCOS. But children are at greater risk for obesity later in life. Source: Common medication used in pregnancy may lead to obesity in children
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Face off — Cyclists not human enough for drivers: study
A new Australian study has found that more than half of car drivers think cyclists are not completely human, with a link between the dehumanisation of bike riders and acts of deliberate aggression towards them on the road. Source: Face… Read More ›
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Evidence rogue waves are getting more extreme
Research led by the University of Southampton suggests that ‘rogue’ waves are occurring less often, but becoming more extreme. Scientists have, for the first time, used long-term data from a wide expanse of ocean to investigate how these rare, unexpected… Read More ›
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High-fructose corn syrup promotes colon tumor growth in mice
Consuming the equivalent of one can of soda per day caused mice predisposed to colon cancer to develop larger tumors, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators. Source: High-fructose corn syrup promotes colon tumor growth in… Read More ›
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Study shows how electricity-eating microbes use electrons to fix carbon dioxide
A Washington University team showed how a phototrophic microbe called Rhodopseudomonas palustris takes up electrons from conductive substances like metal oxides or rust to reduce carbon dioxide. Source: Study shows how electricity-eating microbes use electrons to fix carbon dioxide
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Can you ‘catch’ cancer?
Billions worldwide are infected with tropical worms. Unsurprisingly, most of these people live in poor countries, kept poor by the effects of worm-related malnourishment. What may surprise many is that worms also cause the majority of cases of some cancers… Read More ›
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Lupus strongly linked to imbalances in gut microbiome
Lupus strongly linked to imbalances in gut microbiome Lupus strongly linked to imbalances in gut microbiome The new study, publishing in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases online Feb. 19, showed that 61 women diagnosed with SLE had roughly five times… Read More ›
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Toilet seat that detects congestive heart failure getting ready to begin commercialization
A toilet-seat based cardiovascular monitoring system created by a team of Rochester Institute of Technology researchers aims to lower the hospital readmission rates of patients with congestive heart failure. Source: Toilet seat that detects congestive heart failure getting ready to… Read More ›
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Researchers reverse the flow of time on IBM’s quantum computer
An international team of scientists led by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory explored the concept of reversing time in a first-of-its-kind experiment, managing to return a computer briefly to the past. The results, published March 13 in… Read More ›
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Evidence for ancient magnetic sense in humans
The human brain can unconsciously respond to changes in Earth’s magnetic fields, according to a team of geoscientists and neurobiologists. Reported in eNeuro, this interdisciplinary study revives a research area in neuroscience that has remained dormant for decades. Source: Evidence… Read More ›
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Most teens report using marijuana less often after legalization
Only one group of teenagers used marijuana more often after retail sales were legalized in Washington than they did before — high school seniors who work 11 or more hours per week, according to new research led by a WSU… Read More ›
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Study: Research ties common heartburn medications to kidney disease and failure
Common medications prescribed to treat heartburn, acid reflux and ulcers are linked to increased risks for kidney failure and chronic kidney disease, found a recent University at Buffalo study. Source: Study: Research ties common heartburn medications to kidney disease and… Read More ›
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How well do vaccines work? Research reveals measles vaccine efficacy
‘What we found was a bit of a shock — there are a very small number of studies that test whether vaccines are effective across multiple pathogen doses …’ said Langwig. Source: How well do vaccines work? Research reveals measles vaccine efficacy
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Study: Democracy fosters economic growth
A new study co-authored by an MIT economist shows that when it comes to growth, democracy significantly increases development. Indeed, countries switching to democratic rule experience a 20 percent increase in GDP over a 25-year period, compared to what would… Read More ›
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Blood pressure control is beneficial, is it not?
Until recently, physicians had generally assumed that older adults benefit from keeping their blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. However, researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now found that this assumption does not apply to all patients with high blood… Read More ›
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Alzheimer’s-like symptoms reversed in animal study
Alzheimer’s-like symptoms reversed in animal study Alzheimer’s-like symptoms reversed in animal study For this study, the researchers took a look at two compounds: EGCG, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a key ingredient in green tea, and FA, or ferulic acid, which is found… Read More ›
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Life-threatening birth complication rate increasing across US racial, ethnic groups
Racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity — life-threatening maternal complications associated with childbirth — have persisted and increased at high rates among US women, according to an analysis of nearly 20 years of California hospital records funded by… Read More ›
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Statins linked to higher diabetes risk
Individuals who take cholesterol-lowering statins may be at higher risk for developing high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and eventually type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Source: Statins linked to higher… Read More ›
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More support for Planet Nine
Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin offer further clues about Planet Nine. Source: More support for Planet Nine
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Junk food purchases increase after recreational marijuana legalization
New research by a UConn economist found a link between state recreational marijuana legalization and increased consumption of certain high-calorie foods. Source: Junk food purchases increase after recreational marijuana legalization
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The first look at how hacked self-driving cars would affect New York City traffic
Researchers have analyzed the real-time effect of a large-scale hack on automobiles in a major urban environment. Using percolation theory, they analyzed how a large, disseminated hack on automobiles would affect traffic flow in New York City, and they found… Read More ›
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Nearly half of Americans have had a family member jailed, imprisoned
A groundbreaking Cornell-led study included for the first time data for both prison and jail time to illuminate the extensive scope of mass incarceration in the US, nearly 1 in 2 Americans have had a brother or sister, parent, spouse… Read More ›
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Saffron as effective as stimulant medicines in treating ADHD
Saffron as effective as stimulant medicines in treating ADHD Saffron as effective as stimulant medicines in treating ADHD A new short-term pilot study in children and teens 6-17 years old with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown saffron to be… Read More ›
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US patient advocacy groups received majority of pharma donations in multi-country study
A new study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers found that U.S.-based patient advocacy organizations received a disproportionate amount of contributions made by the world’s 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in 2016. Source: US patient advocacy groups received… Read More ›
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‘Star Wars’ characters’ costumes reflect shift from power to romance
Changes in costume in the female leads — Padmé and Leia — in ‘Star Wars’ Episodes I through VI parallel shifts in the characters’ positions of power, a study published in the open-access journal Fashion and Textiles suggests. Source: ‘Star… Read More ›
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New parents face 6 years of disrupted sleep
The birth of a child has drastic short-term effects on new mothers’ sleep, particularly during the first three months after birth. Researchers at the University of Warwick have also found sleep duration and satisfaction is decreased up to six years… Read More ›
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A very human machine
Researchers have designed a neural probe that looks, acts, and feels so much like a real neuron that the brain cannot identify the imposters. Source: A very human machine
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Belief in conspiracy theories makes people more likely to engage in low-level crime
People who believe in conspiracy theories — such as the theory that Princess Diana was murdered by the British establishment — are more likely to accept or engage in everyday criminal activity. Source: Belief in conspiracy theories makes people more… Read More ›
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Radiation contamination at a crematorium
Radioactive compounds known as radiopharmaceuticals are used in nuclear medicine procedures to diagnose and treat disease. This research letter reports on radiation contamination at an Arizona crematorium where a man with a pancreatic tumor was cremated after treatment with an… Read More ›
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THC found more important for therapeutic effects in cannabis than originally thought
Researchers at the University of New Mexico recently solved a major gap in scientific literature by using mobile software technology to measure the real-time effects of actual cannabis-based products used by millions of people every day. Source: THC found more… Read More ›
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Yeast produce low-cost, high-quality cannabinoids
UC Berkeley synthetic biologists have created an enzymatic network in yeast that turns sugar into cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, but also novel cannabinoids not found in the marijuana plant itself. The yeast factories would be more environmentally friendly and… Read More ›
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Health insurance is not assurance of healthcare
Because of high out-of-pocket expenses, Ohioans who purchase subsidized health-exchange insurance often can’t afford the care they need when they need it. That is a central finding of a new study from researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of… Read More ›
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More support for Planet Nine
Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin offer further clues about Planet Nine. Source: More support for Planet Nine
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Prenatal exposure to plastics linked to motor skill deficiencies at age 11
Scientists with the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health report motor skills problems in children exposed during pregnancy to plasticizer chemicals known as phthalates that are widely used in personal… Read More ›
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CEOs make money from negative information released prior to stock option grants
Stock options are often used to align the interests of stakeholders and CEOs, as both benefit when share price rises. New research shows, however, that companies release more negative news during the period immediately before stock options are granted to… Read More ›
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Vitamin C may be a powerful therapy for Stress induced cancers
Vitamin C may be a powerful therapy for Stress induced cancers Vitamin C may be a powerful therapy for Stress induced cancers Scientists have suspected Vitamin C’s cancer-fighting potential for decades, and several clinical trials have demonstrated positive results. This… Read More ›
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UW study: Exposure to chemical in Roundup increases risk for cancer
Exposure to glyphosate — the world’s most widely used, broad-spectrum herbicide and the primary ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup — increases the risk of some cancers by more than 40 percent, according to new research from the University of Washington…. Read More ›
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Diet drinks may be associated with strokes among post-menopausal women
In a large observational study, women who reported drinking more than one diet soda or other artificially sweetened drink a day had a higher risk of strokes caused by a blood clot. The association between diet drinks and stroke risk… Read More ›
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Virus-infected bacteria could provide help in the fight against climate change
Understanding the relationship between microbes and viruses is beneficial not only for medical research and practical applications but also in marine biology, says Alison Buchan, Carolyn W. Fite Professor of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Source: Virus-infected bacteria… Read More ›
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Do fish recognize themselves in the mirror?
The cleaner wrasse fish (Labroides dimidiatus), responds to its reflection and attempts to remove marks on its body during the mirror test — a method considered the gold standard for determining self-awareness in animals. The finding, publishing on Feb. 7… Read More ›
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Affordable Care Act, no evidence it prevented any Medical bankruptcies
Medical problems contributed to 66.5 percent of all bankruptcies according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, a percentage that is virtually unchanged since the passage of the ACA. Researchers found that yearly, 530,000 families filed… Read More ›
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Nearly half of adults with heart disease can’t afford their medical bills
More than 45 percent of non-elderly adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) report financial hardship due to the associated medical bills, according to a Yale research team. Worse still, about one in five report being unable to pay those medical… Read More ›
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Why does bribery work?
A new study from Carnegie Mellon University suggests that greed, and not the willingness to return the favor, is the main reason people give in to bribery. But the research also finds there are times when the almighty buck can… Read More ›
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Bees have brains for basic math: Study
Researchers set out to test whether bees could do math, building on a groundbreaking finding that bees understand the concept of zero. The new study shows bees can be taught to recognize colors as symbolic representations for addition and subtraction,… Read More ›
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Major tobacco companies pay almost no corporation tax despite massive profits
Taxes on the profits of big tobacco in the UK are being applied in a ‘wholly inadequate’ way claim the authors of a new study. Source: Major tobacco companies pay almost no corporation tax despite massive profits
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Side-effects not fully reported in more than 30 percent of healthcare reviews
The potential side-effects of health interventions were not fully reported in more than a third of published health study reviews, research at the University of York has shown. Source: Side-effects not fully reported in more than 30 percent of healthcare… Read More ›
Engineering Evil 