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 ;-)
-
Oil Barons Given Pass on Alleged Nigerian Crimes
By BARBARA LEONARD WASHINGTON (CN) – A group of refugees living in the United States cannot sue the foreign oil companies that allegedly conspired with the Nigerian government to torture them, the mostly unanimous Supreme Court… Read More ›
-
‘Shooting galleries’: The drug plan that could be too liberal for even Brighton
Plans for Britain’s first legal ‘consumption rooms’ are unsettling the resort widely touted as a prime location Charlotte Philby Wednesday, 17 April 2013 Britain could see its first so-called “shooting gallery” – somewhere drug addicts can legally use heroin… Read More ›
-
Applicants wanted for 1 way trip to Mars
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 Want to go to Mars? Dutch organisation Mars One says it will open applications imminently. It would be a one-way trip, and the company hopes to build a community of settlers on the… Read More ›
-
North Korea on Wednesday barred a delegation of South Korean businessmen from delivering food and supplies to 200 of their staff inside the closed Kaesong joint industrial zone.
N. Korea bars South delegation from joint zone South Korean trucks arrive from North Korea’s Kaesong Industrial Complex. AFP Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 SEOUL – North Korea on Wednesday barred a delegation of South Korean businessmen from delivering food and… Read More ›
-
Letter tainted with ricin or poison sent to Republican senator Roger Wicker
Envelope intercepted before reaching Capitol Hill tests positive three times as politician given extra security protection Dan Roberts in Washington guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 16 April 2013 19.28 EDT Republican senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who has been sent a letter which… Read More ›
-
US hospitals make more money when surgery goes wrong
17 Apr 2013 WASHINGTON (AFP) US hospitals face a disincentive to improve care because they make drastically more money when surgery goes wrong than when a patient is discharged with no complications, a study published Tuesday found. “We found clear evidence that… Read More ›
-
Lockheed to build 10-megawatt thermal power plant off southern China
Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:04 GMT Reuters (Corrects paragraphs 11, 12 to ammonia instead of ammonium) * One of largest facilities to use OTEC technology * Uses heat differences in tropical waters to drive turbines * Plant seen as step… Read More ›
-
Massive Brute-force attack Targets WordPress sites worldwide
A large distributed brute force attack against WordPress sites is understood to be occurring. A large botnet with more than 90,000 servers is attempting to log in by cycling through different usernames and passwords. According to a blog update on IXWebHosting,… Read More ›
-
French railway company SNCF accused of banning black and Asian employees during visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres
Alistair Dawber Tuesday, 16 April 2013 A race row has broken out in France over claims that the state railway company, SNCF, made effort to ensure that Israeli President Shimon Peres did not meet black or Asian employees in… Read More ›
-
Is the NSA building a $1.2billion data center to spy on Americans? Utah desert facility code-named Bumblehive ‘will monitor emails of U.S. citizens’
National Security Agency insists the site will operate according to laws that limit spying on U.S. citizens But civil liberties campaigners warn that the government is seeking to expand these powers The U.S. government operated a secret warrantless wiretapping programme… Read More ›
-
Wealth tax to pay for EU bailouts
Monday, 15 April 2013 Wealthy households would face new taxes on property and other assets under German plans to prop up the struggling eurozone. Senior advisers to Chancellor Angela Merkel are pushing for better-off households to pay towards the cost… Read More ›
-
N. Korea issues ‘ultimatum’ to the South, warns of ‘immediate retaliation’ – reports
Published time: April 15, 2013 18:44 Edited time: April 15, 2013 20:28 AFP Photo / Files / KCNA VIA KNS North Korea’s military supreme command has issued an ultimatum to South Korea demanding apologies for “all the major and… Read More ›
-
China breaking UN sanctions to support North Korea
As John Kerry arrives in Beijing, China continues to flout United Nations sanctions in order to prop up Kim Jong-un’s regime, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, speaks with China’s Premier Li Keqiang during… Read More ›
-
Teacher ‘told fourth-graders to write notes saying they were prepared to give up their constitutional rights to be safer’
By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 17:08 EST, 13 April 2013 | UPDATED: 17:09 EST, 13 April 2013 A Florida father was disturbed to find a note in his ten-year-old son’s backpack that read: ‘I am willing to give up… Read More ›
-
Source: White House Wanted DIA Finding on N. Korean Nukes Under Wraps
Apr. 12, 2013 – 01:36PM | By JOHN BENNETT | North Korea launched Unha-3 rocket Dec. 12 allegedly carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3. The photo was taken by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Getty Images) WASHINGTON —… Read More ›
-
MMR scare doctor Andrew Wakefield breaks his silence: Measles outbreak in Wales proves I was right
As measles cases rise, experts condemn Wakefield’s outburst Jeremy Laurance Saturday, 13 April 2013 The discredited doctor who triggered the MMR scare 15 years ago has pinned the blame for the outbreak of measles in south Wales on the Government…. Read More ›
-
Putin unveils $50 bn drive for Russian space supremacy
12 Apr 2013 MOSCOW (AFP) President Vladimir Putin on Friday unveiled a new $50 billion drive for Russia to preserve its status as a top space power, including the construction of a brand new cosmodrome from where humans will fly to… Read More ›
-
North Korea can likely launch nuclear missiles – U.S. spy agency
Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:03 GMT Reuters * Appears to be first time spy agency has reached such a conclusion * Consensus inside U.S. government is N.Korea does not have such a capability * Test-launch by North of medium-range missile… Read More ›
-
Russia develops new-type spaceship
Vladimir Popovkin Photo: The Voice of Russia Russia is developing a principally new type of a spaceship for interplanetary flights, the head of the Roscosmos Space Agency told reporters on April 12, which is traditionally marked as Cosmonautics Day in… Read More ›
-
Scientists calculate probability of World War IV
War. © Collage: “Voice of Russia” A pause between World War III and World War IV comes to an end, pundits from the Russian Academy of Military Sciences said on Thursday. The conclusion is based on a theory of cycles… Read More ›
-
Self-medication in animals much more widespread than believed
Contact: Jim Erickson ericksn@umich.edu 734-647-1842 University of Michigan ANN ARBOR—It’s been known for decades that animals such as chimpanzees seek out medicinal herbs to treat their diseases. But in recent years, the list of animal pharmacists has grown much longer,… Read More ›
-
Naturally-occurring substance proves effective against deadly skin cancer in laboratory tests
Contact: Joseph Carey jcarey@txbiomed.org 210-258-9437 Texas Biomedical Research Institute For the first time, scientists have demonstrated the mechanism of action of gossypin, a naturally-occurring substance found in fruits and vegetables, as a treatment for melanoma, which causes the majority of… Read More ›
-
1 in 5 seniors on risky meds; more in US South
Contact: David Orenstein david_orenstein@brown.edu 401-863-1862 Brown University More than 1 in 5 seniors with Medicare Advantage plans received a prescription for a potentially harmful “high risk medication” in 2009, according to a newly published analysis by Brown University public health… Read More ›
-
The adult generations of today are less healthy than their counterparts of previous generations
Contact: Jacqueline Partarrieu press@escardio.org 33-492-947-756 European Society of Cardiology Results from a large cohort study suggest that exposure to metabolic risks of cardiovascular disease is increasing Sophia Antipolis, 10 April 2013. Despite their greater life expectancy, the adults of today… Read More ›
-
Research shows the New York City ban on large-sized drinks may have unintended consequences
Contact: Souri Somphanith onepress@plos.org 415-624-121-7199 Public Library of Science People buy more soda when offered packs of smaller sizes than if buying single large drink Restricting soda servings may induce people to buy more soda than when offered larger sized… Read More ›
-
Omega-3 fatty acids more effective at inhibiting growth of triple-negative breast cancer
Contact: Diana Quattrone diana.quattrone@fccc.edu 215-728-7784 Fox Chase Cancer Center WASHINGTON, DC (April 9, 2013)—Researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center have found that omega-3 fatty acids and their metabolite products slow or stop the proliferation, or growth in the… Read More ›
-
Scientists described small genetic changes that enable the H5N1 bird flu virus to replicate more easily in the noses of mammals
Bird flu mutation study offers vaccine clue by Sam Wong 08 April 2013 Scientists have described small genetic changes that enable the H5N1 bird flu virus to replicate more easily in the noses of mammals. So far there… Read More ›
-
Arrhythmia drug may increase cancer risk ( Up to 46% after 2.5 years )
Contact: Amy Molnar sciencenewsroom@wiley.com Wiley One of the most widely used medications to treat arrhythmias may increase the risk of developing cancer, especially in men and people exposed to high amounts of the drug. That is the conclusion of a… Read More ›
-
Lift weights to lower blood sugar? White muscle helps keep blood glucose levels under control
Contact: Laura J. Williams laurajw@umich.edu 734-615-4862 University of Michigan ANN ARBOR—Researchers in the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan have challenged a long-held belief that whitening of skeletal muscle in diabetes is harmful. In fact, the white muscle… Read More ›
-
EMU plot curdles as creditors seize Cyprus gold reserves
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard Economics Last updated: April 11th, 2013 Cyprus has agreed to sell gold reserves to raise around €400m. (Photo: Alamy) First they purloin the savings and bank deposits in Laiki and the Bank of Cyprus, including the… Read More ›
-
British shops ration baby milk as Chinese demand surges
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:13 GMT Reuters * Chinese distrust domestic milk after contamination scandal * Students, visitors sending “unofficial exports” to China * Shoppers restricted to two boxes By Peter Griffiths and Dasha Afanasieva LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) –… Read More ›
-
Iranian scientist claims to have invented ‘Time Machine’ that can predict the future
Serial inventor Ali Razeghi registered “The Aryayek Time Traveling Machine” with Iran’s state-run Centre for Strategic Inventions Rob Williams Thursday, 11 April 2013 An Iranian scientist has claimed to have invented a ‘time machine’ that can predict the future of… Read More ›
-
N. Korean missile launchpad moved into firing position – report
Published time: April 11, 2013 01:38 Edited time: April 11, 2013 03:45 AFP Photo / Ed Jones A North Korean missile launcher has moved into the firing position with rockets facing skyward, Kyodo reports, citing a Japan defense official…. Read More ›
-
Allied forces on high alert amid NK missile threats ( Moved to Watchcon LVL 2 )
Song Sang-ho The Korea Herald Publication Date : 11-04-2013 Seoul officials say Pyongyang is ready for multiple missile launches; Washington calls threat ‘unhelpful South Korea and the US stepped up their intelligence and surveillance activities on Wednesday amid growing signs… Read More ›
-
Researcher hacks aircraft controls with Android smartphone
This may give the TSA some ideas By Iain Thomson in San Francisco Posted in Security, 11th April 2013 01:12 GMT Free whitepaper – EMA advanced performance analytics report A presentation at the Hack In The Box security summit in… Read More ›
-
Old before their time: Britons now ageing quicker than their parents
Poor diet and lack of exercise blamed for increase in obesity, blood pressure and diabetes Jeremy Laurance Thursday, 11 April 2013 We are living longer yet growing less healthy. That is the paradoxical conclusion reached by researchers who have found… Read More ›
-
FBI investigate secret recording of US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell planning mental health smear of opponent and actress Ashley Judd
McConnell’s campaign team claim the recording is the result of bugging from the political left Steve Anderson Wednesday, 10 April 2013 The FBI is investigating whether a secret recording of a senior US senator and his campaign discussing how to… Read More ›
-
Federal Reserve launches leak inquiry “various workers at Congress and at trade bodies. A whole day early” – ( Corruption ? )
There must be some seriously red faces at the Federal Reserve today, after its minutes were accidentally punted to various workers at Congress and at trade bodies. A whole day early. US Treasury bonds have weakened in value slightly today,… Read More ›
-
North Korea deploys seven mobile missile launchers
Photo: EPA Up to seven mobile units with ballistic missiles of various range, from 300 km to over 3,000 km have been detected on the east coast of North Korea. They can be launched simultaneously or in succession over several… Read More ›
-
Alien megaprojects: The hunt has begun
09 April 2013 by Stephen Battersby Magazine issue 2911. Subscribe and save For similar stories, visit the Astrobiology Topic Guide With scans for alien radio signals drawing a blank, three teams are now searching for signs of extraterrestrial engineering… Read More ›
-
How the Italian Mafia turned clean energy into dirty money
Justin Smith April 9, 2013 06:34 If the 1970s mob classic “The Godfather” had been filmed today, you’d see giant wind turbines in the backdrop of scenes around Vito Corleone’s hometown. Wind turbines near the village of Patirnico, between… Read More ›
-
Turkish authorities arrest 3 over GMO rice
Tuesday, 09 April 2013 Three people were arrested Tuesday over links to 21,000 tons of genetically modified organism (GMO) rice seized in the southern province of Mersin, after eight people had been detained earlier in the day. The detainees,… Read More ›
-
North Korea to consider closing Kaesong complex after worker recall
Pyongyang’s suspension of operations at complex it runs with South Korea is yet another ‘foolish gesture’, says expert Tania Branigan in Beijing guardian.co.uk, Monday 8 April 2013 11.19 EDT A South Korean security official guards the road leading to the… Read More ›
-
So that’s what Assange has been doing inside the embassy! WikiLeaks releases 1.7m US diplomatic and intelligence reports covering every country in the world
Wikileaks releases database of U.S. diplomatic records from 1973 to 1976 Henry Kissinger was U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Julian Assange worked on project inside Ecuadorian Embassy in London Australian Wikileaks founder, 41, sought refuge at the… Read More ›
-
Eurozone faces new challenge as Portugal blocks cuts
The eurozone crisis threatens to flare up again this week after Portugal’s constitutional court blocked the country’s planned austerity programme. Portugal’s Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho addresses the nation from his official residence at Sao Bento palace in Lisbon on… Read More ›
Engineering Evil 