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 ;-)
-
Mental Health Groups Defend Dallas DA
By DAVID LEE DALLAS (CN) – Mental health groups asked a fired prosecutor to drop her lawsuit to remove Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk from office, saying it stigmatizes mental health issues and seeks to humiliate her. … Read More ›
-
Big Pharma Succeeds Against Price Controls
Friday, October 16, 2015 By LORRAINE BAILEY (CN) – A federal judge invalidated price controls imposed on so-called “orphan drugs” used to treat conditions other than those for which the drug was created. An orphan drug is a pharmaceutical… Read More ›
-
Iraqi Forces Add Russian Guns to US Tanks for ISIL Fight
By Barbara Opall-Rome, Joe Gould and Awad Mustafa3:31 p.m. EDT October 15, 2015 New Alliances Breed Hybrid Hardware, Challenge US End-Use Monitoring Regime TEL AVIV, Israel — Earlier this month, Shia militiamen in Iraq dropped off an American-supplied Abrams… Read More ›
-
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom Pushes for Gun Control in California
By NICK CAHILL SAN FRANCISCO (CN) – Inspired by more than 150 school shootings since 2012, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a sweeping gun-control ballot measure Thursday that would require background checks for ammunition purchases and strengthen… Read More ›
-
Chapman University’s second annual Survey of American Fears released
Public Release: 14-Oct-2015 What Americans fear most in 2015 Chapman University IMAGE: Chapman University Survey of American Fears — top 10 fears. Credit: Chapman University Chapman University recently completed its second annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears… Read More ›
-
Processed Fructose bad for the Brain TBI
Processed Fructose from corn ( as in HFCS) – The sweetener interfered with the ability of neurons to communicate with each other, rewire connections after injury, record memories and produce enough energy to fuel basic functions. We review the study… Read More ›
-
Magnetism and Thought Control ?
Public Release: 14-Oct-2015 “people in whom the targeted brain region was temporarily shut down reported 32.8% less belief in God, angels, or heaven. They were also 28.5% more positive in their feelings toward an immigrant who criticised their country.” Research… Read More ›
-
China’s Middle Class Overtakes US as World’s Largest
China’s middle class has surpassed that of the United States to become the world’s largest, according to the 2015 Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report. The Swiss Bank also predicted that Asia will be the site of the greatest expansion… Read More ›
-
Sixth sense: How do we sense electric fields?
Public Release: 12-Oct-2015 University of California – Davis A variety of animals are able to sense and react to electric fields, and living human cells will move along an electric field, for example in wound healing. Now a team… Read More ›
-
Anticancer effects of drugs overestimated by as much as 45 percent in animal models
They found evidence that studies that reported little or no anti-cancer effect were simply not published, leading anticancer effects of the drug to be overestimated by as much as 45%. The findings do not raise any concerns about the clinical… Read More ›
-
Malaria protein found to kill cancer cells and cure metastatic disease
Public Release: 13-Oct-2015 Armed malaria protein found to kill cancer cells The Centre for Drug Research and Development A new type of cancer therapy based on seemingly unrelated elements of malaria and cancer is showing promise for development. Kairos Therapeutics,… Read More ›
-
Thousands of Iranian Troops enter Syria in preparation for massive offensive
Tuesday, 13 October 2015 With Russian airstrikes dealing heavy losses to the various terrorist groups operating in Syria, reports have surfaced that Iranian troops will soon launch a ground offensive alongside the Syrian army to retake Aleppo. Last week, IS… Read More ›
-
Benghazi – The full time line of events as they unfolded in the media from 12 SEP 2012 through 28 MAR 2015
Editors Note: ( Ralph Turchiano ) The following is the timeline of the Benghazi events as they unfolded. I attempted to keep the timeline in place, as to allow the reader to follow the chain of events and draw their… Read More ›
-
Two more Japanese detained for spying in China: media
CRIME OCT. 11, 2015 – 04:45PM JST ( 18 ) TOKYO — Two more Japanese nationals have been detained in China on suspicion of spying, bringing the number of Japanese held by Chinese authorities for espionage to four, news… Read More ›
-
Russian jet ‘shot down’ by Turkish forces after entering Turkish air space
Editors Note: (Ralph Turchiano) Needs further confirmation By Taku Dzimwasha | International Business Times – 1 hour 27 minutes ago A Russian air force jet has reportedly been shot down by Turkish forces after it strayed into the country’s… Read More ›
-
Russian jet SHOT DOWN by Turkish forces after it flew into their airspace
A RUSSIAN jet has been shot down by Turkish forces after it flew into the country s airspace, according to as yet unconfirmed reports circulating on social media. According to reports, eyewitnesses saw a large explosion in Huraytan, northern… Read More ›
-
Could ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ happen?
Public Release: 9-Oct-2015 University of Southampton IMAGE: This is a temperature anomaly in degrees Celsius after 95 years from the onset of an AMOC collapse. Credit: University of Southampton A researcher from the University of Southampton has produced a… Read More ›
-
A quantum simulator of impossible physics
Public Release: 8-Oct-2015 In the experiment, developed by the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country in conjunction with the University of Tsinghua (China), the atoms simulate absurd actions “as if they were actors in a quantum theatre” University of the… Read More ›
-
Study: Fracking industry wells associated with premature birth
Public Release: 8-Oct-2015 New research suggests increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes closer to active unconventional natural gas wells Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Expectant mothers who live near active natural gas wells operated by the fracking… Read More ›
-
Perfectly accurate clocks turn out to be impossible
Public Release: 7-Oct-2015 Faculty of Physics University of Warsaw Can the passage of time be measured precisely, always and everywhere? The answer will upset many watchmakers. A team of physicists from the universities of Warsaw and Nottingham have just… Read More ›
-
Exposure to common flame retardants may contribute to attention problems in children
Public Release: 7-Oct-2015 Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health Prenatal exposure to some flame retardants that have been widely-used in consumer products is associated with attention problems in children ages three through seven, according to a new study… Read More ›
-
Predicting which soldiers will commit severe, violent crimes
Public Release: 6-Oct-2015 Study suggests that soldiers at high risk for perpetrating severe violent crimes can be identified using big data predictive analytics Harvard Medical School Workplace violence perpetrated by military personnel is a major concern of the U.S…. Read More ›
-
Chapman University researches way to mathematically make something go viral on Facebook
Public Release: 6-Oct-2015 Researchers at Chapman University have proposed a strategic approach for information spreading via Facebook using cancer screenings as a health intervention Chapman University Researchers at Chapman University have proposed a strategic approach for information spreading via… Read More ›
-
Intentionally Starving and depriving patients of sleep not necessary in Hospitals
Public Release: 6-Oct-2015 Commentary: Hospitals may sicken many by withholding food and sleep Johns Hopkins experts say malnutrition and sleep deprivation should become part of the standard safety checklist across hospitals Johns Hopkins Medicine A Johns Hopkins surgeon and prominent… Read More ›
-
Turkey says jets locked on by unidentified MIG-29
Turkey says jets harassed by unidentified MIG-29 near Syrian border English.news.cn 2015-10-05 19:32:07 ANKARA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) — Two Turkish F-16 jets patrolling the border with Syria were harassed Sunday by an unidentified MIG-29, the Turkish army said on Monday…. Read More ›
-
At site of world’s worst nuclear disaster, the animals have returned
Public Release: 5-Oct-2015 Cell Press IMAGE: This photograph shows wild boar in a former village near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. view more Credit: Valeriy Yurko In 1986, after a fire and explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant released… Read More ›
-
Benzodiazepines ineffective in treating anxiety disorders and may increase dementia risk
Public Release: 5-Oct-2015 Osteopathic psychiatrists encourage patients to review treatment options to improve outcomes and reduce risks American Osteopathic Association Patients taking benzodiazepines to treat psychiatric conditions should consider transitioning to other therapies because of heightened risks for dementia… Read More ›
-
Signs of ancient megatsunami could portend modern hazard
Public Release: 2-Oct-2015 Evidence of an 800-foot wave in the Cape Verde Islands The Earth Institute at Columbia University Scientists working off west Africa in the Cape Verde Islands have found evidence that the sudden collapse of a volcano there… Read More ›
-
Asthma medications taken during infancy linked to stunted growth
Public Release: 2-Oct-2015 BioScientifica Limited Infants given asthma medications during their first 2 years of age are likely to be stunted in later life, according to research presented today at the 54th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting…. Read More ›
-
High-fructose diet slows recovery from brain injury
“processed fructose inflicts surprisingly harmful effects on the brain’s ability to repair itself after a head trauma” Public Release: 2-Oct-2015 High-fructose diet slows recovery from brain injury UCLA study finds diet may predict ability to recover from mental deficits… Read More ›
-
Wild plants call to carnivores to get rid of pests — could crops do the same?
Cell Press IMAGE: This diagram shows how nectar can enhance the survival and efficiency of predators and thus allow the establishment of more stable populations of these biocontrol organisms. Credit: Stenberg et al./Trends in Plant Science 2015 Rose gardeners… Read More ›
-
Idaho Taxpayers Fight Common Core and Bill Gates alleged illegal consortium
“Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, approached Microsoft founder Bill Gates about funding their idea for a fundamental change in U.S. education policy.” Idaho Taxpayers Fight Common Core By… Read More ›
-
International OB-GYN group urges greater efforts to prevent toxic chemical exposure
Public Release: 1-Oct-2015 University of California – San Francisco Dramatic increases in exposure to toxic chemicals in the last four decades are threatening human reproduction and health, according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the first global… Read More ›
-
Researchers profile 4 types of non-vaccinators
Editors Note: Report generalizes that the benefits will may always outweigh the risk. I am posting this research, as an excellent example of groupthink. Those striving for safer or cleaner vaccines are defaulted to being misguided and or misinformed. Public… Read More ›
-
Placebo power: Depressed people who respond to fake drugs get the most help from real ones
Public Release: 30-Sep-2015 Placebo power: Depressed people who respond to fake drugs get the most help from real ones Different levels of brain response to sham treatment could predict resilience in the face of depression, help lead to new treatments… Read More ›
-
Scientists to bypass brain damage by re-encoding memories
Public Release: 29-Sep-2015 New prosthesis aims to help people living with memory loss University of Southern California Researchers at USC and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have developed a brain prosthesis that is designed to help individuals suffering from… Read More ›
-
New research exposes the health risks of fructose and sugary drinks
Public Release: 28-Sep-2015 as high as a 26 percent greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a 35 percent greater risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease, and a 16 percent increased risk of stroke Researchers call for more… Read More ›
-
Chemical exposure linked to rising diabetes, obesity risk
Public Release: 28-Sep-2015 Endocrine Society releases scientific statement on endocrine-disrupting chemicals The Endocrine Society Washington, DC–Emerging evidence ties endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure to two of the biggest public health threats facing society – diabetes and obesity, according to the executive… Read More ›
-
Saudi Prince Arrested in LA on Gruesome Sex Crime Allegations
September 25, 2015 8:49AM ET The Los Angeles Police Department arrested a Saudi Arabian prince on Wednesday for attempting to force one of the employees at the Beverly Hills mansion he was renting to perform oral sex. Prince Majed Abdulaziz… Read More ›
-
Study links US polarization to TV news deregulation
Public Release: 25-Sep-2015 Unique study focuses on moment media system changed Washington State University PULLMAN, Wash. – Increasing American political polarization is linked to television news deregulation following the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, according to a Washington State… Read More ›
-
Chinese Military heading to Syria
Thursday, 24 September 2015 On Wednesday evening, we suggested that Vladimir Putin’s explicit promise to go ahead with airstrikes against terrorist targets in Syria with or without the help of the US effectively marks the end of Washington’s years-old… Read More ›
-
H1N1 Virus re-engineered for aerosol delivery, so researchers can better understand it.
PUBLIC RELEASE: 23-SEP-2015 How flu viruses gain the ability to spread MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MA — Flu viruses come in many strains, and some are better equipped than others to spread from person to person. Scientists have now… Read More ›
-
Osteoporosis drugs shown to increase hip fracture risk
“the use of oral bisphosphonates was not associated with a reduction in hip fractures in women of 65 but it was associated with a greater risk of atypical hip fractures (subtrochanteric or diaphyseal fractures). “This risk increases when the time… Read More ›
-
28 Fighter Jets, 2000 Russian Troops in Syria
Tuesday, 22 September 2015 Russia is to deploy 2,000 military personnel to its new air base near the Syrian port city of Latakia, signalling the scale of Moscow’s involvement in the war-torn country. The deployment “forms the first phase of… Read More ›
-
Obamacare saps enthusiasm for government health-care spending
Public Release: 21-Sep-2015 It’s not just Republicans; the Affordable Care Act also turned off Democrats and Independents Johns Hopkins University IMAGE: Changes between 2004-2008 and 2010-2014 in General Social Survey respondents who indicate that too little is spent by the… Read More ›
-
Faisal bin Hassan Trad keeps key post despite international outrage; UN Watch calls decision ‘scandalous’
Saudi UN envoy to remain head of influential human rights panel Faisal bin Hassan Trad keeps key post despite international outrage; UN Watch calls decision ‘scandalous’ BY TIMES OF ISRAEL STAFF September 20, 2015, 10:15 pm 1 Faisal bin Hassan… Read More ›
-
Company Hikes Price of Life-Saving AIDS, Cancer Drug by 5,000%
A drug that fights a common parasite preying on people with weakened immune systems has spiked in price by 5,000 percent to $750 per pill. Daraprim (pyrimethamine) treats toxoplasmosis, the second most common food-borne disease, which easily affects people… Read More ›
-
Asthma cases in UK ‘set to double’ because new homes are too energy efficient
By Mark Piggott September 20, 2015 17:46 BST The number of people who suffer from asthma is set to double in the UK by 2050, because of changes in the design and construction of new homes. Increased energy efficiency… Read More ›
-
How your brain decides blame and punishment — and how it can be changed
Public Release: 16-Sep-2015 Vanderbilt & Harvard research identifies how your brain sets punishment and shows how it can be disrupted Vanderbilt University Juries in criminal cases typically decide if someone is guilty, then a judge determines a suitable level… Read More ›
-
Study 329 – Reanalysis of antidepressant trial finds popular drug ineffective & unsafe for adolescents
Public Release: 16-Sep-2015 Results contradict original findings and have important implications for research and practice BMJ The widely used antidepressant paroxetine is neither safe nor effective for adolescents with depression, concludes a reanalysis of an influential study originally published in… Read More ›
Engineering Evil 