MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'animal'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:55:46 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174667&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F28%2Fthe-curious-case-of-phineas-gage-and-others-like-him%2F If you’ve ever taken an introductory psychology class, then you probably know the story of Phineas Gage, the 25-year-old railroad worker whose personality dramatically changed after a rod pierced his skull. Gage lost portions of his frontal lobe and went from being a kind and mild-mannered man to rude and unrestrained. On September 21, 1848, The Boston Post reported on the incident. The article was called “Horrible Accident” and said: As Phineas P. Gage, a foreman on the railroad in Cavendish, was yesterday engaged in tamping for a blast, the powder exploded, carrying an instrument through his head an inch in length, which he was using at the time. The iron entered on the side of his face, shattering the upper jaw, and passing back of the left eye, and out at the top of the head.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174667 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:17:17 +0100 5174667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169711&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FnEONkj1S2e8%2F A confusing controversy has broken out in the UK today over an unusual situation in which the Seroquel antipsychotic pill has been found in some packages of the Nurofen Plus painkiller sold by Reckitt Benckiser. And speculation has entered the media that the Nurofen packages, which are available only behind pharmacy counters, may have been sabotaged by animal-rights activists. So far, there is no evidence to suggest this is the cause, which was reported by The Daily Mail. The paper wrote that Reckitt uses animals to test some drugs, although not Nurofen Plus, and that an investigation is under way to determine whether a group or individual activist was behind the switch. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has asked pharmacists, meanwhile, to check their packages (read ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169711 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:20:30 +0100 5169711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050719&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-july-19-2011%2F Any pet owner can attest to the power of their animal friend. As an owner of fish, guinea pigs, parakeets and a dog, I highly agree with that statement. The unconditional love of a pet has helped me heal heartbreak and sadness on more than one occasion. My mom has, in a sentence I will never forget, thanked me with tears in her eyes for bringing our dog into her life. A dog she once told me to get rid of had broken her down and melted her heart, and brought back what pain, sadness and disappointment over one’s lifetime took away. She said our dog, now passed, opened her heart again. Of all the pets I had, however, the pet that has surprised me the most has been my 5 year old black rabbit. A lot of people get boggled by rabbit love. Those who don’t own a rabbit laugh and joke ab... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050719 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:41:09 +0100 5050719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008662&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fjg8EpAu81jA%2F And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. As always, this is the signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda calls for a dip in the pool, a little yardwork, hanging with assorted short people and catching up on some interesting R&D. What about you? Is a day at the beach in order? Or a drive in the country? Maybe catching up on some sleep or thinking big thoughts? Whatever you do, have a good time and be safe. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you soon… Bayer Loses European Patent For Yasmin (Reuters) PETA Proposes Procter & Gamble Stop Animal Testing (Dayton Business Journal) Republicans Complain FDA Review Procedures Slow Innovation (Bloomberg News) Bydureon Diabetes Med Passed The Test In Heart Trial (Reuters) FDA Bans Imports From Dr. Reddy&#8217... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008662 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:04:58 +0100 5008662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008664&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcgppHEcmtPk%2F After months of speculation and debate, Pfizer is now looking to sell or spin off its Animal Health and Nutritional businesses, although the drugmaker has apparently had a change of heart about its Consumer Health operation and appears committed to keeping the unit. The move comes after Pfizer signaled its intention several months ago to start disposing of major operations in a bid to focus mostly on pharmaceuticals, prompting a debate about the extent to which Pfizer can successfully transform itself into a growth company, even though shedding the Animal Health and Nutritional units could yield recognizable benefits (read this). “Both Animal Health and Nutrition are strong businesses with attractive customer bases and solid fundamentals, but distinct enough from our core businesses ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008664 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:29:55 +0100 5008664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921425&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-to-treat-horse-and-donkey-bite-wounds%2F2011.06.09 Earlier this week this tweet from @prsjournal caught my eye Most Popular: Management of Horse and Donkey Bite Wounds: A Series of 24 Cases: No abstract available http://bit.ly/lgNkCS I missed this article when it came out in the June 2010 issue of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal.  As I have covered fire ant bites, cat bites, and snake bites.  Fellow blogger Bongi has written about hippo bites.  It’s time to cover horse and donkey bites. Dr. Köse, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harran University Hospital, Turkey and colleagues presented a retrospective evaluation of 24 patients treated for animal bites (19 horse and five donkey bites) from 2003 to 2009.  The head and neck were the most frequent bite sites (14 cases), followed by the extremities (8 ca... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921425 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4921425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4821149&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FSDqAl15JK8k%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Huron Consulting hired Mark Linver as a managing director in the life sciences practice to handle aggregate spend, merger integration requirements, contract management, government pricing and accrual analysis. Previously, Linver served as a sen... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4821149 Fri, 13 May 2011 12:19:00 +0100 4821149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813244&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3iJmsTK7tXA%2F By Walter OlsonAnimal-welfare activists have scored much publicity success by releasing hidden-camera videos that they say document the mistreatment of animals at farms and slaughterhouses. Now, at the behest of farm interests, lawmakers in Iowa, Florida, and Minnesota are proposing laws seeking to criminalize the making and even possession of such videos. According to the New York Times, the Iowa bill, which has passed the lower house of the legislature in Des Moines: would make it a crime to produce, distribute or possess photos and video taken without permission at an agricultural facility. It would also criminalize lying on an application to work at an agriculture facility “with an intent to commit an act not authorized by the owner.” From a libertarian perspective, there&#8217... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813244 Wed, 11 May 2011 18:48:40 +0100 4813244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803233&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fpsychologys-history-of-being-mesmerized%2F All words have a history. But some are particularly interesting to explore when it comes to psychology — because they’re directly born from it. How many times have you been mesmerized by something, so captured by it that it was like you were in a trance? The word “mesmerize” dates back to an 18th century Austrian physician named Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). He established a theory of illness that involved internal magnetic forces, which he called animal magnetism. (It would later be known as mesmerism.) Mesmer believed that good physical and psychological health came from properly aligned magnetic forces; bad health, then, resulted from forces essentially being out of whack. He noticed a treatment that seemed to work particularly well in correcting these misaligned force... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803233 Mon, 09 May 2011 15:35:51 +0100 4803233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4795054&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7XNwRvu223Y%2F When it comes to the animal health business, the laws of the jungle are what matters. Consider the spat between Bayer and Eli Lilly. Over the past year, Lilly’s Elanco animal health unit allegedly used a smear campaign to discredit Bayer in hopes of convincing veterinarians and distributors to end their business relationships with its rival, according to a lawsuit filed in a New York federal court. Such fingerpointing complaints are, of course, not an uncommon event among drugmakers, especially when it comes to promotional activities. But this latest lawsuit underscores the extent to which the animal health world is an increasingly important business to companies that are finding it harder and harder to develop big-selling meds to treat those two legged-creatures known as humans. At ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4795054 Fri, 06 May 2011 20:23:48 +0100 4795054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747885&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-f7KG02PNKo%2F Battles between animal-rights groups and drugmakers is nothing new, but the latest spat between the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, and Merck has a couple of interesting twists. To be specific, PETA late last week filed a lawsuit against Merck for refusing to include a shareholder proposal that would require the drugmaker to disclose its use of animal testing in all research. Merck, however, refused to include the proposal in its proxy, prompting PETA to sue. This marks the first time that the animal-rights group has actually gone to court because a company denied a request to include a shareholder resolution in a proxy. But why exactly did Merck deny the proposal? The drugmaker contends PETA failed to prove shareholder status, even though PETA has owned Merck stock ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747885 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:09:46 +0100 4747885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653388&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F03%2F29%2Fthe-social-animal%2F Humorist talk about an important topic which is in short: why did we loose contact between reason and emotion? Emotions are the foundation of reason, one of the many recognizable points taken in this excellent talk. Take some time to watch this. apping into the findings of his latest book, NYTimes columnist David Brooks unpacks new insights into human nature from the cognitive sciences — insights with massive implications for economics and politics as well as our own self-knowledge. In a talk full of humor, he shows how you can’t hope to understand humans as separate individuals making choices based on their conscious awareness.   No related posts. (Source: Dr Shock MD PhD) Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653388 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:51:57 +0100 4653388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622507&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FenMMgf6D0z8%2F Good morning, everyone, and nice to see you again. Another overcast day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are, once again, hustling short people off to the local schoolhouse. As you know, this calls for a cup of stimulation or two - our flavor today is pumpkin spice. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits from around your world. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… Merck And Sanofi Abandon Animal Health Joint Venture (Reuters) Bristol Reports Positive Results For Ipilimumab Melanoma Med (Associated Press) Pfizer Lipitor Subsidy May Hurt Ranbaxy (Bloomberg News) Cephalon To Acquire Gemin X For $225M (Associated Press) Many Gastric Banding Patients Have Complications (HealthDay News) FDA Agrees To Review Shire Angioedema Drug (Pharma Times... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622507 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:55:44 +0100 4622507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470451&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F12%2Fare-we-rational-animals-part-2%2F This is the second in a two-part discussion about human rationality. Click to read Part 1, Are We Rational Animals?. Intelligence as a predictor of rationality Some may be surprised to learn that high levels of intelligence do not necessarily indicate high levels of rationality.  In fact, some people may rank high in intelligence while low in rationality.  There is more to sound thinking than intelligence. Below is a list of rational thinking tasks and their association with cognitive ability/intelligence from Stanovich (2010, p.221). Tasks that fail to show associations with cognitive ability Noncausal base-rate usage (Stanovich & West, 1998c, 1999, 2008) Conjunction fallacy between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Framing between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Anchori... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470451 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:44:23 +0100 4470451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361287&cid=t_119700_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F17%2Freboxetine_doesnt_work_but_thats_not_the_real_problem.php Some time ago, I took nominations for Least Useful Animal Models. There were a number of good candidates, many of them from the CNS field. A recent report makes me think that these are even stronger contenders than I thought. The antidepressant reboxetine (not approved in the US, but sold in a number of other countries by Pfizer) was recently characterized by a German meta-analysis of the clinical data as "ineffective and potentially harmful". Its benefits versus placebo (and SSRI drugs) have been overestimated, and its potential for harm underestimated. It was approved in Europe in 1997, and provisionally by the FDA in 1999, although that was later rolled back when more studies came in that showed lack of efficacy. Much has been made of the fact that Pfizer had not published many of the... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361287 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:03:08 +0100 4361287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322636&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FgRRZQti7WfU%2F New genomes from Microsporidia are on the way from the Broad Institute and other groups, and will be a boon to those working on these fascinating creatures. Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites of eukaryotic cells and many can cause serious disease in humans. Some parasitize worms and insects too. The evolutionary placement of these species in the fungi is still debated with recent evidence placing them as derived members of the Mucormycotina based on shared synteny (conserved gene order), in particular around the mating type locus.  There is still some debate as to where this group belongs in the Fungal kingdom, with their highly derived characteristics and long branches they are still make them hard to place.  The synteny-based evidence was another way to find a phyloge... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322636 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:24:01 +0100 4322636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272502&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F12%2F20%2Fdeath-at-seaworld-where-is-tilikum-the-whale-who-killed-his-trainer%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Death at SeaWorld: Where Is Tilikum, the Whale Who Killed His Trainer? Dawn Brancheau, the SeaWorld performer who died last February, had not crossed my mind in months. But last night I came across some year-end stories on 2010 newsmakers and what they were doing with their 16th minute of fame. One was Isaiah Mustafa, who found fame and fortune on a Super Bowl commercial for Old Spice. Another was Antoine Dodson, who scared away a would-be rapist from his sister’s bedroom and whose comments to a news crew led to the “Bed Intruder Song.” Tilikum, the killer whale, became a household name on Feb. 24, after he turned on his trainer Dawn Brancheau. When I first saw her picture, I realized that years ago I’d seen Brancheau pe... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272502 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:01:28 +0100 4272502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074063&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-to-prevent-an-infection-from-your-pet%2F2010.10.15 Can your dog give you MRSA? Sharing with your dog is wonderful — unless you’re sharing bacteria. Pets can harbor harmful germs to pass on to you. Staphylococcus bacteria is a common cause for skin infections in people and animals. A virulent strain of staph, called MRSA, has made headlines for school outbreaks and fatal infections. MRSA infections are usually blamed on dirty locker rooms and contaminated gym clothes, but the source for an infection might be in your lap right now. Here are five ways to avoid catching an infection from your pet: 1. Your pet’s mouth is not clean. It’s teeming with bacteria. Don’t let your pet lick your wounds. A dialysis patient once contracted a life-threatening pasturella bacteria infection from his beautiful golden retriever this way. 2... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074063 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:00:19 +0100 4074063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074441&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FP2wK003B2K0%2F If you thought obese humans are the only creatures on earth susceptible to harm from a diet pill, consider overweight dogs, specifically those taking Pfizer’s Slentrol pill. The FDA is planning a pharmacogenomic study to determine whether reported adverse drug events are associated with genetic variations in the dogs treated with the pill, which was approved in 2007. Why? A preliminary analysis by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine indicates potential correlations between certain dog breeds and some side effects, according to a notice in the Federal Register. The notice did not specify side effects or breeds, but Slentrol labeling shows that vomiting occurred in nearly 25 percent of the dogs, 12 percent suffered diarrhea and nearly 10 percent grew lethargic (so much for r... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074441 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:04:24 +0100 4074441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060592&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fin-the-news-political-doctors-antibiotic-resistance-and-stem-cell-research%2F2010.10.11 Medical organizations are donating heavily to doctors running for the U.S. House. Dentists, ophthalmologists, radiologists, surgeons, neurologists and ENTs have contributed heavily. The goal is to get doctors onto committees where they can have the most impact. So far, the candidates have trended heavily Republican and have, in at least one campaign, vowed to overturn healthcare reform. The stakes are high if opposing legislators succeed, because they could underfund or block portions of reform to the point that it works poorly or not at all. (Politico, New England Journal of Medicine) Spurred by antibiotic resistance seen in almost every drug class, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, FACP, is turning the agency’s attention toward animal feed. With little to no development of new ant... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060592 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4060592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036889&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F10%2F05%2Foakland-cop-kills-dog-leaves-family-a-note-on-front-door%2F A typical Golden Labrador Retriever My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Oakland Cop Kills Dog, Leaves Family a Note on Front Door. A burglar did not violate Mary Kate Hallock’s house in Oakland, Ca. on Sept. 28, but the false alarm at her home led to the death of her dog. In Hallock’s back yard, Oakland Police officer Victor Garcia shot and killed Hallock’s 11-year-old golden Lab. According to the note left for owner Hallock on the front door, her dog Gloria was shot after she “advanced on officers in a threatening manner.” Really? Gloria, whom Hallock had raised from a puppy, was arthritic and suffered from hip dysplasia. And then there’s the matter of three bullets. So one bullet wouldn’t have stopped an “advancing” elderly gold... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036889 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:59:25 +0100 4036889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942763&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fracist-rant-morrissey-calls-chinese-people-subspecies-for-animal-cruelty%2F photo: WENN.com In a recent interview with Guardian Weekend magazine, Morrissey, our favorite mopey musician, said that the people of China were a subspecies because of the way they treat animals. And, while this is an inflammatory statement that any sensible human (celebrity or not) would retract, Morrissey is standing by his words: “If anyone has seen the horrific and unwatchable footage of the Chinese cat and dog trade – animals skinned alive – then they could not possibly argue in favour of China as a caring nation. There are no animal protection laws in China and this results in the worst animal abuse and cruelty on the planet. It is indefensible.” So, is Morrissey racist? Or is he just voicing what many animal rights advocates actually think, but are afraid to say on... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942763 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:23:42 +0100 3942763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831328&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-youre-a-monkey-mom-who-raises-monkids%2F Do your kids wear clothes, eat junk food, brush their teeth, and use the toilet? Of course they do. How about scream, bite, scratch, pull hair, draw blood, and send you to the hospital? What a coincidence! So do “monkids,” poor little capuchin monkeys that don’t live in the wilds of the Central American jungle. Instead, 15,000 of them reside in U.S. suburbs and are raised by insane “Monkey Moms” (and dads) who think it’s a terrific idea to keep these wild animals as captured pets. But Monkey Moms don’t like the term “pet.” They prefer “companion for life.” So, we can’t really blame these pissed off little monkids for attacking their owners (out of love!) and sending them to the emergency room. We’d do the same th... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831328 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:46:49 +0100 3831328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831329&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fangela-kinsey-saves-feral-cats-daily-do-gooder%2F Angela Kinsey (of NBC’s The Office) recently became the face of a new PSA for Alley Cat Allies. She hopes to direct attention to all those who have helped or fed stray cats. Apparently I’ve done it, you’ve done it, and your neighbor has done it (40% of us have, to be exact). These alley cat allies also want to spread the idea of Trap-Neuter-Return – a program that helps control feral cat populations and improve kitty-cat health. We applaud these efforts, because cats are cool. But we’ll never love them as much as Angela on The Office does. photo: Nikki Nelson/WENN.com Post from: BlissTree Angela Kinsey Saves Feral Cats: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831329 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:30:40 +0100 3831329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822883&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpamela-anderson-adopts-pets-from-gulf-region-so-we-have-to-like-her-a-little%2F photo via The Huffington Post Remember those heartbreakingly adorable Gulf region pets that had to be given to shelters because their owners couldn’t afford to keep them? Well, Pamela Anderson is doing her part to raise awareness about the poochies and kitties still in need by traveling to the Gulf and adopting two pets of her own. PETA is working to organize adopt-a-thons to find good homes for the pets made homeless by the BP oil spill. Dammit, now we have to like Pam Anderson. But just because we think she went overboard with the cosmetic surgeries doesn’t mean we think she’s a bad person. Same goes for all the celebs over 40 we’re going to try our best not to look like. Except for Mel Gibson. He actually is a bad person. via The Huffington Post Post from: Bliss... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822883 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:20:18 +0100 3822883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816400&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fkiller-grand-rounds-from-down-under%2F2010.08.03 Better Health’s Grand Rounds this week is hosted by the ever-so-crafty Life in the Fast Lane team of Australian physicians at the Utopian College of Emergency for Medicine. These docs “take great pleasure in sharing their medical experiences, clinical knowledge and insights into waiting-room medicine with health-conscious technophiles to facilitate the learning process by providing diverse and hopefully entertaining reading material.” It’s always worth a read (and a chuckle), no doubt. With the theme of ”Killer Posts” (just a hint — hate to blow the surprise), this edition of Grand Rounds is sure to educate in more ways than one! Experience it HERE. (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816400 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:00:19 +0100 3816400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798842&cid=t_119700_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F239%2Froc-wrinkle-cream-review%2F Roc wrinkle cream is a French anti aging skin care product featuring the highly touted ingredient Retinol, which is one of the animal forms of vitamin A. Retinol’s function in anti aging skin care products is to increase collagen, and to stimulate skin cell renewal.  These actions will help you somewhat in your quest for younger looking skin, but there are forces at work that this substance simply doesn’t address. Wrinkles and sagging skin are produced by the declining production rate of collagen and elastin, the escalating loss of collagen and elastin tissue as well as your hyaluronic acid polymer due to the activity of harmful enzymes, and damage to the chemical structures in your skin committed by free radicals. It is going to take a lot more than just Retinol to address these issu... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798842 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:17:04 +0100 3798842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767042&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpeople-cant-do-the-job-hire-an-animal%2F If we were part of the wild animal kingdom, we’d be totally fed up with humans by now. Animals have been farmed, domesticated, hunted, driven to extinction, and, recently, covered in oil. They’ve probably had enough. But some animals just keep on giving. (Of course, they don’t have much of a say in the matter.) The Huffington Post has a cool slideshow of some animals who help humans do things we really can’t do alone — like patrol the ocean for terrorists (see cute dolphin below). We just hope these animal employees are treated just as well as their human co-workers — or better. Check out the full set of photos here. photo via Huffington Post via Huffington Post Post from: BlissTree People Can't Do the Job? Hire an Animal. (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767042 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:54:45 +0100 3767042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767049&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcharo-wants-to-end-bullfighting-daily-do-gooder%2F Charo is now the spokesperson for PETA’s anti-bullfighting campaign. She has been against the cruel sport for years — she even has an anti-bullfighting song. Bulls are either starved or drugged before a fight, and sometimes they even have their horns sawed off. Charo is encouraging advocates to write a letter to José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain’s Prime Minister. photo: WENN.com Post from: BlissTree Charo Wants to End Bullfighting: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767049 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:30:58 +0100 3767049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718712&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2Fu7TBVLwMnXo%2Frevenge_of_the_zombifying_wasp_1.php As this is a Zombie Day on scienceblogs.com, here is a re-post of one of my old post about one of the coolest parasites ever (from February 04, 2006): I am quite surprised that Carl Zimmer, in research for his book Parasite Rex, did not encounter the fascinating case of the Ampulex compressa (Emerald Cockroach Wasp) and its prey/host the American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana, see also comments on Aetiology and Ocellated). In 1999, I went to Oxford, UK, to the inaugural Gordon Conference in Neuroethology and one of the many exciting speakers I was looking forward to seeing was Fred Libersat. The talk was half-hot half-cold. To be precise, the first half was hot and the second half was not. In the first half, he not just introduced the whole behavior, he also showed us a longish movie... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718712 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:05:50 +0100 3718712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710808&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FG7tx1fJ0FGQ%2Flizards_carcasses_and_bacteria.php Do Komodo dragons kill their prey by making them sick with the bacteria from their dirty mouths? Or do they kill with strength, speed and venom while bacteria are just incidental? Or is it bacteria who hitch a ride on the lizards on their journeys from one juicy carcass to the next? Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710808 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:52:30 +0100 3710808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672060&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FIs_O4nvJT9Q%2Fthe_primal_power_of_play_video.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672060 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:37:19 +0100 3672060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671584&cid=t_119700_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fmarine-life-flees-contaminated-water-bp-oil-spill%2F In a ominous sign of the unimaginable environmental and health disaster to come in the gulf oil spill, marine creatures from crabs to sharks are crowding into water close to the shore in an attempt to escape the devastating contamination of the bp oil spill. Roger Helm of the Fish and Wildlife Services contaminant division thinks that BP will try to contest the animal kill totals of the spill. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671584 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:47:52 +0100 3671584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3640985&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Frue-mcclanahans-charity-work-daily-do-gooder%2F We’re still mourning the loss of Rue McClanahan, but we’re also celebrating the former actress’s great work, both for her Golden Girl character, Blanche, and for her work with the Farm Sanctuary’s Legacy Society as their longtime spokesperson and advocate for animal rights. She hosted major events and galas, as well as helped pass legislation banning foie gras in California, promoting compassion for animals. via Look To The Stars Post from: BlissTree Rue McClanahan's Charity Work: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3640985 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:30:09 +0100 3640985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633448&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpet-safety-dog-bite-awareness-and-prevention%2F2010.06.05 It seems that each year, I just miss National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which is the third full week of May. As you know, it’s June already. But can it ever hurt to review such important information? More than 4.7 million people a year receive bites from man/woman’s best friend. If you have read this blog for very long, you know I dearly love my dogs — deceased ones (Columbo, Ladybug, and Girlfriend) and the living one, Rusty. I have no illusions that dogs bite, and given the right provocation I think mine would (although most of the time they are totally harmless and would just invite you in to rob me). Most dog bite-related injuries occur in children 5 to 9 years of age. Almost two thirds of injuries among children 4 years or younger are to the head or neck region. Dog bites ar... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633448 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3633448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592189&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fthe-daily-do-gooder-stephanie-pratts-be-nice-to-bunnies-campaign%2F Actress Stephanie Pratt from The Hills is doing good, PETA-style: She’s sponsoring their “Be Nice to Bunnies” campaign and iPhone app that tells you whether your favorite beauty products were tested on animals: Post from: BlissTree The Daily Do-Gooder: Stephanie Pratt's "Be Nice to Bunnies" Campaign (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592189 Mon, 24 May 2010 15:09:52 +0100 3592189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581581&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fdiy-wildlife-pest-control-does-killing-squirrels-count%2F A few weeks ago, I tried to rescue a squirrel. He was trembling, prostrate, sick, and unable to crawl to a handful of carefully placed Diamond premium shelled walnuts. Poor guy. After I called the Humane Society, a specialist armed with gloves and a crate arrived within 30 minutes. Thirty minutes! I only hope 911 works as expeditiously. Soon my squirrel was whisked off to Second Chances, a nearby animal rehab center. Since nothing happens in the wilds of suburbia – and I’m always interested in painting myself in a positive light – I shared my Dr. Doolittle delusions of grandeur far and wide. One neighbor’s suspicious response: “Well, I hope that doesn’t have anything to do with us,” she said, going on to explain how her husband had laid out some poison for the critters ne... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581581 Wed, 19 May 2010 16:10:18 +0100 3581581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573862&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F82gFkB9_ZAI%2F Two papers out this week on the population dynamics and epidemiology of the chytrid pathogen of amphibians, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). This is work from the Vredenburg and Briggs labs that includes several decade-long studies of frog declines and the prevalence of Bd. See Vance in action swabbing a frog In the Briggs et al paper, they describe a 5-year study on the fungal load in surviving populations of frogs in Sierra Nevada mountain lakes.  They find that adult frogs that have low enough fungal load escape chytridiomycosis and can actually lose and regain infection. They propose that fungal load dynamics are the reason behind differential survival of various populations of mountain frogs. They conclude that: “Importantly, model results suggest that host persistence ver... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573862 Tue, 18 May 2010 05:55:17 +0100 3573862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3569964&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2010%2F05%2F16%2Fthe-evolutionary-psychology-of-war%2F Nothing too shocking here for students of evolutionary psychology but it’s always interesting to see real world examples of how our shared behavior. There is a new book by Sebastian Junger called War, in which he recounts how men do not fight for larger ideological goals (eg. “a safer Iraq”, “finding Bin Laden”) but instead they can overcome fears because “they’re more concerned about their brothers than what happens to themselves individually”. Here’s Junger on Good Morning America: After the jump some more from Junger and a nice talk from Robert Sapolsky about similar behaviors in chimps. Another example from soldiers in Afghanistan is the “blood-in, blood-out” ritual for increasing group cohesiveness and testing individ... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3569964 Sun, 16 May 2010 20:29:44 +0100 3569964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560498&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F6PUQzXUi6TE%2F Pontificators are having a field day deciphering healthcare reform and PricewaterhouseCoopers is no exception. The consulting firm has just released a report concluding that, despite expanded coverage that will increase revenue, overall drug sales will decline by 4.3 percent from what they would have been otherwise between 2010 and 2019. The bill increases Medicaid rebates, expands discounts to 340b hospitals, requires Medicare Part D discounts and adds a big fees over 10 years. Specifially, a typical big pharma should see a 4 percent drop in revenue, and a large generic drugmaker should see a 2 percent boost. Meanwhile, a medium-size drugmaker with low government sales should expect only a 1 percent decline, but a large drugmaker with lots of government sales can expect a 7 percent drop. ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560498 Thu, 13 May 2010 11:16:46 +0100 3560498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560499&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUi_0RX4f_qI%2F Top of the morning to you. Another shiny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus. What will today bring? We can only guess. But with meetings and deadlines on the agenda, we are brewing the required cups of stimulation. Meanwhile, here are a few interesting items to help you prepare. We hope your day is productive and pleasant. And as always, do stay in touch… Walgreen’s Halts Sales Of OTC Gene Tests (Bloomberg News) Merck To Create 150 Jobs In Ireland (RTE Business) Glaxo Halts Platelet Drug Study Due To Clots (Reuters) AstraZeneca Fights SMC Rejection Of Iressa (PharmaTimes) CVS Caremark Taps A New CEO (Associated Press) US Rx DataBase Takes Hold Slowly (Government Technology) Merck & Sanofi Prepare To Shed Animal Assets (Reuters) Australia Won’t Enact New Price... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560499 Thu, 13 May 2010 11:14:16 +0100 3560499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542555&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fmothers-day-in-the-animal-kingdom-video-of-the-day%2F NBC’s Today Show brings us some of our favorite baby photos – animal style: Post from: BlissTree Mother's Day in the Animal Kingdom: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542555 Fri, 07 May 2010 12:20:18 +0100 3542555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3530032&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fk4fDB6nhye8%2F Top of the morning to you. Another busy lies ahead and our own stamina is tested by hustling short people off to the school house. Meanwhile, deadlines and meetings loom, yes? Still, we are reminded of what the Morning Mayor would say: Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. So put on a smile and dig in. Have a good day, everyone… Dainippon Gets Complete Response Letter For Epilepsy Med (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Profit Beats Estimates (Associated Press) Teva Profit Surges On MS Drug (The Wall Street Journal) Merck Profit Falls On Schering Costs (Bloomberg News) UK Woman Wins Fight For Sutent Funding By NHS (PharmaTimes) Merck Opens Second Research Center In Korea (Korea Times) Pfizer Seeks New Prempro Trial (Reno Gazette Journal) FDA Reviews Diabetes Risks Of Pros... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3530032 Tue, 04 May 2010 12:01:22 +0100 3530032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524463&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FYCc25Saiom8%2Fperiodic_tables_-_next_durham.php In ten days, new Periodic Tables: May 11, 2010 at 7:00 P.M. The Importance of Being Dad: Paternal Care in Primates Although human males often get criticized for being "deadbeat dads", the truth is that compared to most mammals, human males are simply outstanding fathers. Join us as Dr. Susan Alberts discusses why we don't generally expect male mammals to provide paternal care (answer: because we think they usually can't recognize their own offspring), and the unusual and surprising case of paternal care in a primate species where we least expect to find it. In the baboons of the Amboseli basin of southern Kenya males differentiate their own offspring from other males' offspring, and provide care to them. Dr. Alberts will talk about why this should be so, and what it means about males ... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524463 Sat, 01 May 2010 23:45:54 +0100 3524463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3505136&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fvq3oMKtlz6o%2F Industry expansion in China continues unabated as Charles River Laboratories agreed to buy WuXi Pharma Tech, a Chinese outsourcing services firm. The deal would apparently be the largest foreign takeover of a Chinese company and, significantly, would give Charles River testing facilities in Shanghai, Suzhou and Tianjin in China, where labor and laboratory costs are cheaper (see statement). Overall, the CRO market in China is growing up to 30 percent a year, according to Jinsong Du, an analyst in Hong Kong at Credit Suisse. “This is a vote of confidence that China will be the main location for drug R&D outsourcing in the future,” he tells Bloomberg News, adding that Charles River gets to eliminate a potential competitor in the process. Du also notes Charles River gets a “very... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3505136 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:23:52 +0100 3505136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490795&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FVvOpKHtbVV0%2F Flight of the Conchords’ Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler’s new show, Penelope Princess of Pets is an animal lover’s dream. The show has apparently been picked up by the U.K.’s Channel 4, but you can watch the trailer and other short clips on YouTube for now: via New York Magazine Post from: BlissTree Videos That Crack Us Up: Penelope Princess of Pets (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490795 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:48:39 +0100 3490795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487035&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6aPUFQFeJbg%2F By Ilya ShapiroAs expected from the oral argument in U.S. v. Stevens last fall – when Justice Alito was alone in expressing some support for the government’s position – the Court on Tuesday upheld the First Amendment by declining to add a category of unprotected speech. This was not, after all, a case about the “human sacrifice channel” or Michael Vick’s greatest dog fights. Indeed, cruelty to animals should be and is punished everywhere in the country. Instead, at issue here was a broadly drawn “depiction of animal cruelty” statute that could have ensnared Spanish tourism brochures or hunting instructional videos. More fundamentally, the Court rightly rejected the government’s proposed weighing of the “value” of speech agai... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487035 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:25:51 +0100 3487035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471967&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FX7m28P4JGHk%2F "Sarah Palin's Alaska", set to air on TLC, is getting lots of attention, but not in a good way. Remember “Drill, Baby, Drill!”? We’re guessing that The Discovery Network (which owns TLC, Planet Green, and the Discovery Channel) would like you to forget about it, given its recent $2 million contract with Alaska’s former Governor Sarah Palin. The rogue politician will host a reality TV series, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, about her home state, but it’s stirring up considerable controversy among animal rights and environmental groups. Many activists disapprove of Palin, who is well-known for her pro-oil-drilling slogans and staunch support of aerial wolf hunting, being featured on a network known for health, wellness, and nature programming. The netw... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471967 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:23:26 +0100 3471967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382875&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2F101-dalmations-and-chihuahuasand.html In the New York Times this week we have a story entitled Animal Abuse as Clue to Additional Cruelties. In this article Ian Urbina discusses the problem of people who hoard animals and the connection between animal abuse and violence toward people.The link between animal cruelty and antisocial behavior is well known and was first studied in the 1960's by a researcher at Washington University by the name of Lee Robins. Dr. Robins followed the outcomes of children referred to a local mental health center for conduct problems, and learned that about one third of them developed antisocial behavior as adults. This is where we get the current conduct disorder criteria for antisocial personality disorder found in DSM-IV: firesetting, theft, running away, truancy and animal cruelty.States are passi... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382875 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3382875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383106&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F1Y726WGEDZs%2Fants_vs_crabs_video.php Army ants devour a crab: I would not like to be that crab! [via Michael Bok] Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383106 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:15:22 +0100 3383106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346724&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXA4KpjYsGKI%2F Rise and shine. Another day is under way. And of course, there is much to do. Our list is quite lengthy, in fact, starting with hustling one of the short people to the schoolhouse. To cope, we are brewing the required cup of stimulation. Meanwhile, the world keeps spinning and here are a few items to prove the point. Have a great day and stay in touch… Merck And Sanofi-Aventis Merge Animal Health Units (Reuters) Astellas Likely To Pay More For OSI (Bloomberg News) Tennessee Judge Won’t Dismiss Novartis Jaw Injury Suits (Associated Press) Exelixis Cuts Jobs And Reorganizes R&D (Reuters) Germany To Change Pricing For Branded Drugs (In Vivo blog) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346724 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:26:18 +0100 3346724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3327281&cid=t_119700_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F03%2Ffat_rats_make_poor_test_subjects.php Well, here's a brow-furrowing paper, courtesy of PNAS. Th authors, from the National Institute on Aging, contend that most laboratory rodents are overfed, under-stimulated, and are (to use their phrase) "metabolically morbid". This affects their suitability as control and experimental animals for a wide variety of assays. There seem to be effects across the board - the immune system, glucose and lipid handling, cardiovascular numbers, susceptibility to tumors, cognitive performance. The list is a long one, and the route causes seem to be ad libitum feeding and lack of exercise. The beneficial effects of some drugs in rodent models, the authors propose, could be due (at least in part) to their ability to reverse the artificial conditions that the animals are maintained under, and the appli... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3327281 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:45:57 +0100 3327281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3307132&cid=t_119700_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F8UpCGlTBD9Y%2F Conclusion: We learn to fear things when we associate them with another event, for example a child might fear darkness after associating it with the noisy sound that happened when his mother slammed the door of a dark room. Moreover, if a child watched an adult reacting with fear to a certain situation the child will develop fear too!! The frog that died in the boiling water: When a group of frogs were thrown in boiling water they jumped out of the pot very quickly and managed to survive. However, when the same frogs were put into cold water that was slowly heated, all of them perished when the water came to a boil, because they didn’t have time to react Conclusion: We can feel sudden changes but when the change happens over time we don’t feel it until it is too late. People do... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3307132 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:23:41 +0100 3307132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251397&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpAAr3lClc8I%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. Hope your weekend was pleasant and rewarding. Now, though, the routine returns and, of course, that means those deadlines and meetings. So to help you along, we have uncovered a few nuggets of interest. And of course, we also encourage to grab a cup of something stimulating. We are about to do so. Meanwhile, have a good day… Andrew Witty Discusses His Job And Goals (The Telegraph) Sanofi To Decide On Reviving Merck Venture (Dow Jones) CVS Caremark Posts Higher Quarterly Profit (Reuters) Coffee is courtesy of chichcacha flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251397 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:34:39 +0100 3251397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251336&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FMZM6I38vz3A%2F An article in PLoS Pathogens by Morris et al describe a hypothesis about the evolution and origins of plant pathogens applying the parallel theories to the emergence of medically relevant pathogens. The authors highlight the importance of understanding the evolution of organisms in the context of emerging pathogens like Puccinia Ug99 for our ability to design strategies to protect human health and food supplies.  Both bacterial and fungal pathogens of plants are discussed but I (perhaps unsurprisingly) focus on the fungi here. The authors suggest that theories on the emergence of diseases proposed in medical epidemiology apply to plant pathogens as well.  Some of these ideas are quite provocative on the evolution of intracellular pathogens and how environmental microbes become pathogen... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251336 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:30:01 +0100 3251336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3236087&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3FjQqgs_Rcw%2F Arizona is moving closer to excluding federally regulated research facilities from animal cruelty laws after a state Senate committee voted 4-to-3 in favor of a bill that would provide an exemption. The bill, 1159, would exclude both animal toxicology assessment and scientific experimentation, The Arizona Republic notes. You may recall that Covance, the big contract research organization, opened a facility in Arizona amid vociferous protest from animal rights groups (background). And Stephanie Nichols-Young, president of the Animal Defense League of Arizona, says Covance is lobbying in support of the bill. “Covance is new to our community and very different from the labs that have been in our state for decades,” she tells the paper. “Why would you give up this right for a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3236087 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:41:34 +0100 3236087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193779&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F21%2Frunning-mice-suggests-brain-fitness%2F I’m not a big fan of reporting on animal studies, because the results are often not replicated with humans. Animal studies are like the small surveys conducted in undergraduate psychology classes — you can find interesting results that may mean nothing except to the subjects you studied (e.g., well-educated young adults, most of whom are still teens). In the case of mice, well, we can say the results generalize to mice. (If we wanted to be even more specific, one could argue that lab mice bred for laboratory experiments are different than mice bred and raised in the wild, but let’s leave that leaf unturned.) But in a 24/7 news cycle, even mice studies can get mainstream media pickup. Case in point, this article in the UK’s The Guardian. It starts off well enough, ma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193779 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:35:08 +0100 3193779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142851&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FMOrlwDIVl-s%2Fwoodpecker_vs_egg_eating_yello.php (hat-tip @tdelene @aubiefan on Twitter) Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142851 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:35:16 +0100 3142851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133701&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F12%2F31%2Fcatalina-vallejos-statement-of-purpose-art%2F I devote my life to the momentary constructions for the purpose of maintaining a regular study of neural biochemistry, processes, patterns, and networks whose effects on a performance installation would successfully present a solution. An example of this is affecting a site’s mood initally set up by a pre-set design, with a resulting performance based upon the affected concentration of biochemicals in each present body. The modulation of mood and perception, as evoked or supressed by the artwork itself. A more specific example of this is the observation of different levels of dehydration which affect the integral effectiveness of body enzymes by varying concentrations. This type of work is relevant since exemplary leading behaviours are that which initiate communication before utterance ... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133701 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:23:25 +0100 3133701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126807&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F6Icot81JXAM%2Fjell-o_enrichment_for_squirrel.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126807 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:47:01 +0100 3126807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126794&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FslXojqEEXkY%2F Is Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health going to the dogs? A Toledo, Ohio, man has sued the drugmaker, which is now part of Merck, for negligence for marketing faulty batches of Vetsulin, which is used to control diabetes in dogs and cats. In his lawsuit, Larry Friedman claims the drugmaker should have known prior to a Nov. 2 warning from the FDA that its medication was contaminated or improperly manufactured. He also argues that Vetsulin should have been recalled. His 13-year-old terrier died of kidney failure earlier this month and he wound up spending more than $1,000 in vet bills. The vet “came to our home. We put him to sleep in his bed, with us petting him,” Freidman tells The Toledo Blade. “This is about getting justice for all the people who bought this product ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126794 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:00:04 +0100 3126794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3122212&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FwMtsCQG7G0E%2Fgive_a_squirrel_a_helping_hand.php Interesting how the parent is steering the youngster towards the bag, trying to get it to use it as a prop! Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3122212 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:42:44 +0100 3122212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3108547&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVMFUskz4orM%2F Animal rights activists regularly go after the pharmaceutical industry, but they made big headlines last summer when some visited the hometown of Novartis ceo Dan Vasella and painted “murderer” on the church, desecrated the graves of his sister and parents, and set fire to his Austrian vacation home. Vasella spoke with USA Today about the episode and his reaction. USA Today: Aren’t you helping activists by giving them the soapbox they desire? Vasella: I don’t believe so. It’s my duty as a citizen to speak up when illegal actions take place. Suffering in silence doesn’t help anybody. You have to stand up. You have to fight for something. If everyone remained silent, then the people who are violent would prevail. USA Today: Aren’t you putting a bull&... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3108547 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:25:36 +0100 3108547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3101081&cid=t_119700_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fanimal-caregivers-rescued-animals.html Every day I am grateful for my rescued animals, who have returned the favor with their love and affection. They are "animal caregivers" who have special powers like "Super Heroes." They connect intuitively by using their senses in ways that people cannot. Pet therapy can be one of the best prescriptions you ever filled.Rescued animals can provide just the right therapy blend of companionship, affection, comic antics, and playfulness. With their special powers to sense things that humans miss, the animals often really "get it" when no one else does. Active seniors with rescued pets know the animals are like super heroes, connecting in a psychic way. Whether you have a "Wonder Cat," a "Disney Dog," or another type of "Animal Angel", you know the caring and giving you receive is right on targ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3101081 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:25:00 +0100 3101081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3019244&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FYnbQljusSg8%2Fthe_amazing_bouncing_pebble_to.php Seen on DeLene's Facebook wall.... Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3019244 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:14:13 +0100 3019244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931256&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fmad-men-atomic-secretaries-feminine-mistakes%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up: Horse meat! And a thump on the head. We here at Woman Up are back on the “Mad Men” beat. An attractive, middle-aged widow from Roger Sterling’s past showed up at Sterling Cooper to 1) ask for help handling a public relations crisis at her dog-food company, and 2) cozy up to Roger to see if the spark is still there. It ain’t. At least, not on Roger’s side of the fence. I was not surprised, since this woman was demonized within her first five minutes on screen. She practically sneers in disdain at customers who recoil at the slaughter of horses. She points out that cows are beef and chickens are poultry. She wants Sterling Cooper to come up with a pseudonym for horse meat, blithely assuming that our only problem with hor... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931256 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:33:59 +0100 2931256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923357&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FdYD7SDdTp5g%2Fwakeful-orcas.html [Image by BarnyardBBS.] Postpartum Sleep in Whales and Dolphins A random brief video: wakefulness in newborn cetaceans and mothers, accompanying a Brief Communication published in Nature, 2005 (PDF). “…unilateral or bilateral eye closure was almost never (for less than 0.4% of 24 h) observed in dolphin mothers during the first 2 months postpartum.” 24 hr video surveillance confirmed human observations of the mothers keeping a near-continuous eye on offspring. Development and parenting occur without much rest “in contrast to the pattern seen so far in other animals, from flies to mammals,” conclude researchers Lyamin et al. Supplemental info PDF here, and the video supplement features a cute baby orca. Lyamin, O., Pryaslova, J., Lance, V., & Siegel, J. (2005).... Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923357 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:30:23 +0100 2923357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920353&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.almaden.ibm.com%2Finstitute%2Fresources%2F2006%2FDisk2.avi We had read that Dr. Henry Markram of the Blue Brain project had given a talk at TED (technology, entertainment, design), but the video wasn’t released until this month.  This talk is geared towards a general audience, rather than getting into the specific details of the Blue Brain project, as he has before.  It is engaging and includes many suggestions towards the future of neuroscience and AI. Watch it online at the TED website. (Source: neurodudes) neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920353 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:20:25 +0100 2920353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865635&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrSburYu4ogE%2F Following up on David’s post about the Stevens “depictions of animal cruelty” case, my takeaway from this morning’s argument is that there’s not a single vote to uphold the law.  The closest the government came to sympathy for its position came when Chief Justice Roberts wondered whether, if a narrower statute proscribing the “crush videos” that were the ostensible target of this legislation, the Court might uphold this broad statute on its face but also welcome many as-applied challenges in instances of prosecutorial overreach.  (For a pithy discussion of facial versus as-applied challenges, noting that the Court generally favors facial attacks in First Amendment cases, see Roger Pilon’s foreword to this year’s Cato Supreme Court Re... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865635 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:42:57 +0100 2865635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865640&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPPtL62VKEq0%2F The Supreme Court today is considering the case of United States v. Stevens, a challenge to a 1999 federal law outlawing depictions of animal cruelty. The government says that such depictions are “unprotected” speech. Many First Amendment advocates and news organizations are supporting the challenge to the law. It seems an easy enough case to decide, given the plain language of the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in the case of depictions of animal cruelty. Right? For a more substantive discussion of the issues in United States vs. Stevens, see the Cato Institute’s amicus curiae brief. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865640 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:49:35 +0100 2865640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846576&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fwayback-wednesday-the-quest-for-animal-insulin.html Apropos to last week’s post on Testing Driving Insulin, I was thinking about the ‘older’ versions — and discovered a reader letter I received back in February of 2006.  It seems just as timely today, considering that research supported the case for continuing to offer patients the option of animal insulin: “In our systematic review we [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846576 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:35 +0100 2846576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846564&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FMIPvK0sA4Qg%2F As part of the dermatophyte efforts and emerging infectious diseases the Fungal Genome Initiative at the Broad Institute will be sequencing the genome of Geomyces destructans. G. destructans is linked to the white-nose syndrome in Bats. See also some recent posts on white-nose syndrome. (Source: Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics) Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846564 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:14:09 +0100 2846564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793358&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2Ft8b-RRiEZtg%2F A nice series of comparative genomics articles have been published in the last few weeks. The pace of genome sequencing has accelerated to the point that we have lots of sequencing projects coming from individual labs and small consortia not necessarily from genome centers. We are seeing a preview of what next (2nd) generation sequencing will enable and can start to imagine what happens when even cheaper 3rd generation sequencing technologies are applied. I’m behind in reviewing these papers for you, dear reader, but I hope you’ll click through and take a look at some of these papers if you are interested in the topics. In the following set of papers we have some nice examples of comparative genomics of closely related species and among a clade of species. The papers mentioned ... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793358 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:14:35 +0100 2793358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778697&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FgC6nJPFBo3w%2Fbird_tango_video.php Professor Nicky Clayton researches the social behaviour, intelligence and dance credentials of birds! As an accomplished dancer in her own right she has fused her passions by collaborating with Rambert Dance Company to produce a Darwinian inspired ballet called The Comedy of Change. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778697 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:59:08 +0100 2778697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2727439&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FBRsWZ1xg3Vo%2Fno_more_alpha_male.php L. David Mech is a famous wolf researcher (and a blogger about his research). If you have heard of a concept of "alpha-male" it is because of ideas from an old book of his, about social structure of wolf societies. However, most of the early research on wolves was done on artificially built groups, e.g., wolves caught in various places all put together in a single wolf pen at a zoo. In such rare and unnatural situations, these stranger-wolves do indeed form social hierarchies (or "pecking order" - a term that arose from studies of chickens). But such situations rarely if ever happen out in nature. A pack of wolves is usually composed of Mother, Father and their (sometimes quite grown-up) offspring: closely related individuals who know each other well. These days, it is L. David Mech hims... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2727439 Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:01:10 +0100 2727439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716266&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FPbmwUkAA7-M%2Falcoholic_vervet_monkeys_-_wei.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716266 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:20:07 +0100 2716266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699741&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FsHis7rgF2ow%2Fvintage-rats.html Motivation and Reward in Learning Kids excited about rodents after seeing G-Force? They’ll love this too, I’m sure. Wooden pointers assist in demonstrating an early psychology experiment with white rats pressing a bar. Vintage B&W educational film, now public domain and part of the Prelinger Archives. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699741 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:30:18 +0100 2699741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695617&cid=t_119700_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F13%2Fanimal_testing_a_view_from_the_labs.php Why do we test drugs on animals, anyway? This question showed up in the comments section from a lay reader. It's definitely a fair thing to ask, and you'd expect that we in the business would have a good answer. So here it is: because for all we know about biochemistry, about physiology and about biology in general, living systems are still far too complex for us to model. We're more ignorant than we seem to be. The only way we can find out what will happen if we give a new compound to a living creature is to give it to some of them and watch carefully. That sounds primitive, and I suppose it is. We don't do it in a primitive manner, though. We watch with all the tools of our trade - remote-control physiological radio transmitters, motion-sensing software hooked up to video cameras, sensi... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695617 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:24:53 +0100 2695617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688904&cid=t_119700_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F11%2Fanimal_rights_you_say.php Novartis has had trouble for years with animal rights activists, and now things are getting nastier than ever: Novartis CEO Daniel Vasella says the people who burned down his holiday home and defiled his family's graves are not criminals but "terrorists" beyond dialogue. In an interview with the SonntagsBlick newspaper, the 55-year-old chief executive said the attacks have changed his life and that more needs to be done to rein in the animal-rights extremists believed responsible for the "wicked" acts. Last week Vasella's home in Austria was set on fire. In July his mother's urn was stolen and his dead 19-year-old sister's grave was desecrated. Crosses bearing his name and that of his wife were placed in a Chur cemetery. Workers' cars have been torched and angry graffiti sprayed on wall... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688904 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:51:41 +0100 2688904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645517&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2009%2F07%2F27%2Fplanning-for-your-petsanimals-in-a-disaster%2F On Saturday, August 22nd , beginning at 2pm, at the Owens Auditorium at the Sandhills Community College, the County Animal Response Team (CART) will be hosting an invaluable event for those owning or caring for pets and/or domesticated animals in Moore County. A free showing of the award-winning documentary, “Katrina Tails,” will be followed by a presentation and discussion about Moore County’s newly-revised Animal Response Plan to be executed during disasters. Call 910-947-2858 for more details. More information: GROUNDBREAKING DISASTER PLAN FOR MOORE COUNTY’S ANIMALS On August 22nd, the County Animal Response Team (CART) will be hosting an invaluable event for those owning or caring for pets and domesticated animals in Moore County. A free showing of the 2008 Acco... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645517 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:37:21 +0100 2645517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606156&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34999&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marymeetsdolly.com%2Fblog%2Findex.php%3F%2Farchives%2F853-Human-Animal-Hybrid-Prohibition-Act-of-2009.html Okay, I know I said I was on vacation, but I just had to blog about a couple of things. The first is that members of Congress have introduced the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2009 which would ban the production of certain animal-human hybrids in research.  This announcement has made some bloggers go all apoplectic.  Like Pharnygula who asks "Why do they hate the Manimal." He thinks that this bill will injure scientific progress.  He gives the following examples:One more example: scientists have made transgenic pigs carrying five human genes. The idea is to create animals that can be a source for xenografts — transplanted organs — in humans with a reduced level of rejection. These pigs would become illegal under the Brownback bill, because they mingle a blessedly hu... Mary Meets Dolly blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606156 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:32:02 +0100 2606156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576832&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2009%2F07%2F06%2Fkittenocity%2F Kittens are the cutest things on the planet, there’s no doubt.  I could watch them for hours.  There are times when their kittenish antics make me laugh out loud. The kittens’ mothers are getting a little tired of their offspring though.  They want to be let out of their room to roam the house, and it’s harder to get them to go back in there than it was a couple of days ago. I’d like to encourage those seeking companion animals to look for a local animal rescue group from which to adopt. They usually vet the animals and make sure they’re suitable for a particular situation.  In my case, I now know that the mother cats are completely accepting of other cats and dogs, and are not at all aggressive. They like children, too. None of the cats flinched when I tu... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576832 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:55:00 +0100 2576832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561520&cid=t_119700_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Finvasion-of-the-kittens%2F Peeps The Animal Advocates of Moore County (AAMC) did a huge favor for me.  In February, a cat started hanging around my house. It was pretty cold, and I felt bad for her.  I started feeding her and tried to coax her into the house.  I finally tricked her into coming into the house on her own.  I called AAMC to see if they knew of anyone who was missing their cat.  She was extremely sweet and a beautiful cat.  Someone came to get her, and she was taken to a vet to be checked over.  She was such a great cat that I decided to keep her. About a month after her arrival, Peeps developed paralysis in her back legs. I took her to a few vets to see what could be done for her. They had me convinced that she’d never recover and we’d eventually have to have her euthanized. It was h... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561520 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:53:06 +0100 2561520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512657&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=35157&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartsweet.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fcaptive-audience%2F Dear Mr. President, You know there’s no way in hell I am going to vote for a Republican, so you think you can take my vote for granted? Throw the gays a bone – say that you’re going to extend federal benefits to partners – but oh, DOMA says you can’t offer them health or retirement benefits. And the justice dept doesn’t have a problem with the constitutionality of DOMA? Eff you, and your little dog too. xo Art (Source: Artificially Sweetened) Artificially Sweetened blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512657 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:04:00 +0100 2512657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2453038&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=35157&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartsweet.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fpito-needs-a-penpal-and-a-response-to-a-question%2F I have gotten sucked into doing this stupid My First Chain Letter thing with P’ito, wherein you send a pack of stickers to one person and a letter to six and then eventually you are supposed to wind up with 36 packs of stickers. If you have already done this and your kid didn’t get any stickers and got their poor itty bitty heart broken, please shut up remain discreetly silent.  If your kid you are willing to give it a shot, would you please send me an email with your address: artsweets AT gmail DOT com.  I need four more victims participants. On a totally different note, Sarah asked: Here’s a question for you: what is good etiquette for going to a gay pride parade if you’re straight? I’ve got a hand-tie-dyed rainbow shirt and a need to do something positive for gay rig... Artificially Sweetened blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2453038 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:31:26 +0100 2453038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442306&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FsG4v5D5FRSo%2F A transgenic animal is one where its genome has been changed to carry the genes from another organism. In the medical sciences, transgenic animals can be used to model human diseases or develop strategies for gene therapy. Using transgenic monkeys allows researchers to study genetic diseases in systems that resemble humans as close as possible, and implement strategies and experiments toward treatment or intervention. Last year for example, a transgenic rhesus macaques was created to model Huntington’s disease. Scientists inserted a virus vector carrying part of the mutated human gene for Huntington HTT and a fluorescent marker gene into unfertilized monkey egg cells. This allowed the virus to be integrated into the egg’s genome. Three newborns carried between two and four copies of th... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442306 Fri, 29 May 2009 03:50:00 +0100 2442306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441276&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fgallup-poll-on-what-is-morally.html Human exceptionalism is not only about human rights, but also human duties, including never using human beings as mere objects and the need to treat animals properly and humanely. The new Gallup Poll about what Americans consider morally acceptable behavior is interesting in both regards, and thus worth our pondering. (Part of the poll measured matters beyond our scope here at SHS, and these issues will not be addressed. The poll was also promoted by Gallup as showing Republicans growing increasingly "conservative." We don't do partisan politics here, and moreover, what some call conservative, I think of as liberal--such as opposing assisted suicide. So, let's ignore those matters, too.)For ease of reading, in this post I will look at the questions that dealt with the treatment of animals,... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441276 Thu, 21 May 2009 16:12:00 +0100 2441276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405110&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fhyenas-are-people-too.html Human exceptionalism is under furious assault on many fronts, with advocates who seek to dismantle it, zealously looking for any and every sign that we are no different, really, from animals.One of the newest memes in this regard is that animals are moral beings--just like us. I bring this up because University of Wisconsin professor (of course) Deborah Blum in the New Scientist uses the vehicle of a book review to push the notion that animals are moral people too. From the review:Wild Justice makes a compelling argument for open-mindedness regarding non-human animals. It also argues that social behaviours such as cooperation provide evidence for a sophisticated animal consciousness. In particular, the authors propose that other animal species possess empathy, compassion and a sense of jus... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405110 Tue, 12 May 2009 22:48:00 +0100 2405110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405116&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fanother-barely-veiled-threat-of-murder.html This comes very close to an outright death threat--without quite being one. An animal rights terrorist supporter named Jason Miller has strongly hinted that a UCLA animal researcher could be murdered, and indeed seems to hope that it will happen. From a preface to his piece against animal research in Thomas Paine's Corner:I'm dedicating this piece to the courageous animal defenders and rescuers comprising the ALF, the Justice Department, the Animal Liberation Brigade, and the other militant direct action groups who are taking the fight to vivisectors and the rest of their ilk comprising the animal exploitation complex. Given the relentless nature of the systemic torment and slaughter of millions of other sentient beings that take place day after day, violent responses from nonhuman animal ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405116 Sun, 10 May 2009 15:34:00 +0100 2405116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389723&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fanimal-to-human-xenotransplantation.html Scientists in Japan have used animal research to explore a potential way around the organ shortage by growing transplantable organs in sheep made from stem cells. In this case, it is monkey organs, but within a decade, it could be human organs. From the story:Huddled at the back of her shed, bleating under a magnificent winter coat and tearing cheerfully at a bale of hay, she is possibly the answer to Japan's chronic national shortage of organ donors: a sheep with a revolutionary secret. Guided by one of the animal's lab-coated creators, the visitor's hand is led to the creature's underbelly and towards a spot in the middle under eight inches of greasy wool. Lurking there is a spare pancreas. This would not be xenotransplantation in the usual sense of the term, since the procured organ wou... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389723 Tue, 05 May 2009 00:30:00 +0100 2389723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2380778&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fhuman-exceptionalism-requires-that-we.html When the rulers of To the Source saw my piece "Homo Sapiens, Get Lost" in NRO about the the growing anti-humanism that is infecting the environmental movement, it gave them an idea. They asked me to write a piece for TTS, using the same Brave New World analogy as a launching pad that I used in NRO, but to take the thrust of the piece in a different direction. Using the principles of human exceptionalism, they asked me to distinguish the instrumental use of nascent human life in biotechnology and contrast it to an upcoming animal welfare event known as "Be Kind to Animals Week." That seemed like a nice challenge and so I hit the old keyboard, resulting in "Keep the Human in Humane."First, I describe the ongoing threat of brave new world biotechnology. From the piece:Looking around, can ther... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2380778 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:14:00 +0100 2380778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2368719&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2Fi68bPk57Y-g%2Fspiders_on_drugs.php If you missed it before, I have written about this kind of research before - this is interesting stuff, as much as the video is just plain funny (video, hat-tip: Psique). Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2368719 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:04:35 +0100 2368719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365464&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FfPpWQB4GupM%2Fucla_pro-test_a_success.php I hope you got educated before the UCLA Pro-Test yesterday. It went great - see the coverage by DrugMonkey, Nick Anthis, DrugMonkey again and Scicurious. Show Your Support for Medical Progress by signing the Petition for responsible animal research. Then go and crash this poll, despite it being flawed. And to continue our education on the matter, Janet has posted the 6th post and the 7th post in her series. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365464 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:19:22 +0100 2365464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354119&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FaUTcYWJsgq8%2Fsupport_the_ucla_pro-test_tomo.php The UCLA Pro-Test is tomorrow. If you live there - go. If not, prepare yourself for inevitable discussions - online and offline - by getting informed. And my fellow science bloggers have certainly provided plenty of food for thought on the issue of use of animals in research. First, you have to read Janet Stemwedel's ongoing series (5 parts so far, but more are coming) about the potential for dialogue between the two (or more) sides: Impediments to dialogue about animal research (part 1).: Now, maybe it's the case that everyone who cares at all has staked out a position on the use of animals in scientific research and has no intentions of budging from it. But in the event that there still exists a handful of people who are thinking the issues through, or are interested in understanding... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354119 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:00:03 +0100 2354119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353786&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fanimal-rights-activist-named-to-fbi.html There is only one domestic suspected terrorist on the FBI's "most wanted terrorist." His name is Daniel Andreas San Diego, who hails from my neck of the woods in Berkeley, CA. San Diego has been on the run for years after allegedly bombing a local company that refused to promise to never do business with Huntingdon Life Sciences. From the story:For the first time, an accused domestic terrorist is being added to the FBI's list of "Most Wanted" terror suspects. Daniel Andreas San Diego, a 31-year-old computer specialist from Berkeley, Calif., is wanted for the 2003 bombings of two corporate offices in California. Authorities describe San Diego as an animal rights activist who turned to bomb attacks and say he has tattoo that proclaims, "It only takes a spark."...An arrest warrant was issued ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353786 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:18:00 +0100 2353786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347921&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fadult-stem-cell-repair-successful-in.html People who have badly damaged tendons may soon find relief from their own adult stem cells. From the story:A stem-cell repair technique that has already been used to fix hundreds of injured race horses is to be tested for the first time in people with damaged Achilles tendons.Privately owned British biotech firm MedCell Bioscience Ltd said on Wednesday it would start clinical tests within 12 months and planned to run a larger confirmatory study at several European hospitals in 2011.Patients will receive injections containing millions of their own stem cells, which have been extracted and multiplied up in a laboratory, and can regenerate new tissue to repair damaged regions. More than 1,500 race horses have been treated using the same process and follow-up data suggests a 50 percent reducti... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347921 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:28:00 +0100 2347921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347924&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fsf-chronicle-columnist-gets-it-right-on.html Think of the animal rights movement as predators that threaten an entire herd: All the animals are under threat but it is the weak, stragglers, or isolated that face the most concerted attack.Thus, while all animal research facilities are under threat, Huntingdon Life Sciences is the most vilified and its contractors and service providers most subjected to ancillary targeting. Why HLS? It was weakened, when years ago, a British television program showed a puppy being abused at a HLS facility. (Those responsible were fired and prosecuted, and properly so. Management had a turn over, and despite repeated attempts to pin further charges of abuse on HLS, to my knowledge, all have proved unfounded.) But that video set HLS apart, and it has been subjected to an unremitting and sometimes violent ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347924 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:38:00 +0100 2347924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306948&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fpeta-admits-it-kills-adoptable-cats-and.html The more I observe PETA, the more bizarre it seems to me. It claims to love animals, and yet it euthanizes more than 90% of the animals it takes in. Why does PETA have to do this? Animal shelters are able to euthanize animals too sick, injured, or aggressive to be found good homes. Moreover, it does not have a formal adoption program, it has admitted to the Telegraph, and it kills adoptable animals. From the story:Peta insists that homes could not be found for the dogs and cats, usually because they were in such poor health or because they were "unsocialised" and aggressive, usually because of bad treatment by their owners.But the organisation, which does not run its own animal adoption programme and does not accept animals into its care elsewhere, admitted to The Sunday Telegraph that som... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306948 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0100 2306948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2270321&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Fspanish-animal-rights-activists-go-nude.html What is it with animal rights activists and nudity? Spanish liberationists have gone naked to protest a Canadian seal hunt. From the story: Around 100 people stripped naked and lay on the ground in a central Madrid square on Sunday as part of an international day of protest against Canada's annual seal hunt, due to resume next month. The members of animal rights group Equanimal smeared themselves in red liquid to signify a "massacre" of seals by Canada, where the annual seal hunt is due to resume in April. Some wore red underwear, others were totally nude. "We want to sensitise people to the fact that animals are capable of feeling and suffering like us, and to protest against the massacre of hundreds of thousands of seals which is about to begin in Canada," said spokeswoman Silvia TovalNo... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2270321 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:06:00 +0100 2270321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2263902&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Fhit-and-run-injuring-humans-or-aniamls.html The drive to create moral equivalencies between human beings and animals continues. In California, a bill has been introduced that could treat leaving the scene of an accident involving a car and an animal, the same as a hit and run involving a human being. From AB 1224, authored by Assemblyman Mike Eng:Existing law requires the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury or death to another person to immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident and to fulfill specified requirements. Under existing law, a violation of this provision is either a felony or a misdemeanor.This bill would declare the Legislature's intent to enact legislation to include animals, pets, and livestock under the basic "hit and run" statute in order to fine drivers who leave the sce... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2263902 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:21:00 +0100 2263902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260231&cid=t_119700_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Ffox-on-stick-how-to-make-your-own.html Recently on "Victoria’s Stillwell’s" programme, ‘It’s me or the dog,’ on "Animal Planet," they featured an exercise toy for dogs, especially our Labradoodle, Thatcher. This tremendously fun toy is of course completely "unobtainable" and all the stores have sold out. I know you’ll believe me when I tell you that after half an hours viewing, we had to have this toy, and not just for Thatcher the dog. Our dog Thatcher needs two, one and a half hour exercise sessions a day, but with the current rain schedule, this task has fallen solely upon my soggy shoulders. No big surprise there. However, with a little temptation for other members of the family, you too can take a little respite by making your own ‘fox on a stick.’You will need:-A flexible stick [not too long or may break o... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260231 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:50:00 +0100 2260231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232542&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F04%2Fcould-a-dog-benefit-your-mental-health%2F Midweek Mental Greening Last summer, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Bruce Goldstein’s Puppy Chow Is Better Than Prozac: The True Story Of A Man And The Dog Who Saved His Life to review. Puppy Chow is the candid and raw tale of how Ozzy, a gorgeous black Labrador, played a key role in saving a man’s sanity – and quite possibly his life. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. I’ve been a dog owner for nearly three years now, so I fully understand the joys and miseries that accompany the role. (Yes – miseries. My dog has made me cry. Actually, during the first few weeks I had her, I seriously thought I was experiencing some kind of canine postpartum depression.) Since the day I rescued her from the animal shelter, my own adorable mutt (Chopper, pictured... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232542 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:50:26 +0100 2232542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2194864&cid=t_119700_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F18%2Fits-possible-to-nurture-yourself-and-mother-nature%2F Midweek Mental Greening Last week, I told you about a Boston Globe article that discussed the negative mental health effects global warming is having on some people, and promised you some tips on how to deal with those kinds of effects – whether the issue is global warming, poverty, animal rights or any other matter that has you upset. Check them out below. Take action and get involved. As I mentioned last week, sitting around and twiddling my thumbs has never been my thing. One of the best ways you can ensure something is being done is to do something. Whether it’s as easy as making sure your signature is on the petitions for causes you believe in or as involved as organizing a local chapter of your favorite nonprofit. You’ll feel better about yourself and the problem or issue ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2194864 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:19:44 +0100 2194864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2194956&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F542011276%2Fvan%2520IJzendoorn%2520Bard%2520Bakermans-Kranenburg%2520Ivan%25202008%2520Dev%2520Psychobio%2520chimps_tcm17-79176.pdf A quick and driveby post as a follow-up to some of our previous posts about our interconnectedness and as the Sioux proverb goes, "With all beings and all things we shall be as relatives", this headline from the Discover magazine blogs caught my attention:All It Takes Is Love: Baby Chimps Given Extra TLC Score Higher Than Human Infants on IQ TestsWe kid you not: Orphaned baby chimpanzees cared for by humans in a loving, attentive manner have been found to be more cognitively advanced than some human infants. Authors of a new study in Developmental Psychobiology compared nine-month-old human babies to nine-month-old chimps who had received daily “mom sessions.” For 20 hours a week, humans would play with 17 of the orphaned infant chimps, helping them to develop motor skills and to “me... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2194956 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:10:04 +0100 2194956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182568&cid=t_119700_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F02%2F13%2Fevidence-of-similar-linguistic-capabilities-in-neaderthals%2F Apparently, in a few years, we will be able to bring Neaderthals back to life with the complete Neaderthal genome [NYT]. Currently, there is good sequence data available over 63% of the genome. (I’m amazed that, given fragmented DNA from bone, Neanderthal sequence can be distinguished from human DNA contamination but perhaps this problem is solved by having high enough coverage/multiple fragments of the same region.) Also, it looks like Neanderthals share the FOXP2 variant that humans have: Archaeologists have long debated whether Neanderthals could speak, and they have eagerly awaited Dr. Pääbo’s analysis of the Neanderthal FOXP2, a gene essential for language. Modern humans have two changes in FOXP2 that are not found in chimpanzees, and that presumably evolved to make speech p... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182568 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:03:34 +0100 2182568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2177559&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fw_HkpoNhkVs%2F For the first time, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the release of a drug made from genetically engineered animals, boosting confidence in the science of gene manipulation. The drug ATryn (GTC Biotherapeutics) was approved on February 6 for the prevention of blood clotting events in patients with hereditary antithrombin (AT) deficiency. ATryn is produced using milk from goats that have been altered to produce extra antithrombin, a natural blood thinner. Hereditary antithrombin deficiency is a genetic condition where the person suffers from serious and recurrent blood clotting, and making them at very high risk for blood clots, organ damage or death. Over 200,000 people in the United States, Canada and Europe are affected by the disease. The FDA’s approval will certainly h... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2177559 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:54:00 +0100 2177559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2163622&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=34999&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marymeetsdolly.com%2Fblog%2Findex.php%3F%2Farchives%2F730-Animal-human-hybrids-That-is-so-yesterday.html I just cannot let this one go.  Just because I truly believe that the enormity of what is going on in labs around the world is not sinking in.  I do not want to underplay the importance of the fight against the Freedom of Choice Act. On that we should never back down.  But we also should not ignore other pressing life issues.Wake up people! We are cloning human embryos to see if they can develop normally right along with cloned human embryos made with animal eggs and then these results are being published in reputable journals.  Moreover, the media makes it sound like this is all so normal and mention little, if anything, about the ethics of such research.Read this headline and study the picture and tell me that the world has not gone totally mad:It Is Easier to Clone a Human Than to B... Mary Meets Dolly blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2163622 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:34:40 +0100 2163622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156340&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F02%2Ffailure-of-human-animal-hybrid-cloning.html A few weeks ago, I posted about bitter complaints being made by scientists in Brave New Britain that the government had not yet funded the creation of human/animal hybrid cloned embryos. The scientists charged that morality might have played a part in the non funding--a terrible thought that was later laid to rest by the assurance that morality has nothing to do with science funding in the UK.But now, the scientists at Advanced Cell Technology are claiming that using animal eggs to make human cloned embryos doesn't work. From the story:Researchers who tried to use mouse, cow and rabbit eggs to make human clones said on Monday the effort failed to produce workable embryos but added that they showed human cloning should work in principle. Mixing human and animal cells does not appear to prog... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156340 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:02:00 +0100 2156340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156341&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F02%2Fabolitionist-gary-francione-laments.html Gary Francione, who argues that to be authentic all animal rights believers must be vegan and lead by example (I agree with him on this), is unhappy. He worries that the animal rights movement is falling backwards because of the "humane meat" campaigns that, in his mind, have made carne respectable to consume for some who were once abstainers. As evidence, he points out that the Food Standards Agency in Britain has found that the number of people eating a partly or completely vegetarian diet fell from 9 per cent in 2007 to 7 per cent in 2008. As evidence that the humane meat movement is undercutting animal rights, properly understood, he quotes from an article by former vegetarian Tessie Williams. From his column: The reason for Williams' return to meat: "I see my decision to return to mea... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156341 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:26:00 +0100 2156341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2115886&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=35157&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartsweet.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F20%2Fhope%2F From Bishop Gene Robinson’s (magically unbroadcast, ahem) invocation: O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will… Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS. Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future. Bless ... Artificially Sweetened blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2115886 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:02:41 +0100 2115886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2113356&cid=t_119700_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F01%2F19%2Fscientists-speak-about-cosmetic-animal-testing%2F A couple weeks ago, we were contacted by a student who was working on a science project about cosmetic animal testing.  She gave us a few interesting questions which we thought we would pass along here. Seeking Student Says…Could you answer the following questions about animal testing for my school science project? Left Brain Responds: Animal testing ban? 1. Do you think that animal testing for cosmetics should be banned? Explain. While I don’t like animal testing, there are currently no suitable alternatives for some types of tests. I don’t think animal testing should be banned until there are alternative tests that help prove products are safe. Medicine versus Cosmetics 2. Should animal testing be banned for cosmetics, but still be allowed for medicine? Animal testing... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2113356 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:44:37 +0100 2113356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2104382&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fdont-worry-refusing-to-fund-humananimal.html With The Independent on a tear because moral concerns might have been behind the failure of scientists to garner public funding to conduct human cloning with animal eggs, we get this badly needed assurance. From the story: Reports in the British media that grant applications to create hybrid human--animal embryos for research were turned down on moral grounds, have been rejected by the funding bodies and scientists involved.The story broke in the Independent newspaper on Monday, which claimed Stephen Minger, a leading stem cell scientist at King's College London, said that the grant applications may have been blocked by scientists on the funding committees who are morally opposed to the creation of cloned hybrid embryos. But when Nature spoke to Minger he said the Independent misinterprete... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2104382 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:05:00 +0100 2104382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2097785&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fdenying-funding-for-humanhybrid-cloning.html "The scientists" in the UK are throwing a tantrum because their funding for the creation of human/cow hybrid embryos has apparently slowed. From the story:Britain's effort to lead the world in stem cell research with the creation of human-animal "hybrid" clones has ground to a halt through lack of funding less than a year after the controversial technique was legalised.Funding bodies are refusing to finance the research and existing projects have been run down to the point at which they may end completely within weeks. One of the researchers involved in the work said last night that the grant applications may have been blocked by scientists on the funding committees who are morally opposed to the creation of cloned hybrid embryos derived from mixing human cells with the eggs of cows, pigs ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2097785 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:33:00 +0100 2097785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2097787&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fuc-davis-animal-researchers-threatened.html Bomb threats should be called what they are: Death threats. Animal researchers at UC Davis are being threatened. From the story: Police at UC Davis are on high alert while they are investigating a threat made on a controversial Web site targeting two of the university's researchers.According to UC Davis spokesman Andy Fell, the "Revolutionary Cells Animal Liberation Brigade" posted on a Web site that they had sent mail bombs to the UC Davis researchers late Saturday. The researchers work at the California National Primate Research Center, which conducts tests on primates to try and benefit human and animal health. The center does studies on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, asthma, autism and Alzheimer's disease.This should be condemned unequivocally by everyone, regardless of their ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2097787 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:39:00 +0100 2097787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2092775&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F507318349%2Fdepartment_of_justice_poised_t.php This is your weekend reading - lots of it, some fascinating, some enraging, but perhaps if enough people are aware and scream loudly enough, something can be done: Assistance Monkeys, Ducks, Parrots, Pigs and Ducks ... Should the law protect them? More Follow Up on NYT Story About Assistance Creatures More Assistance Creature Follow Up - The History of Service Monkeys, Plus Monkey Waiters Newsflash! DOJ ADA Changes Leaked -- All Animals Set to Be Banned Except Dogs DoJ's Rationale Behind Banning Non-Canine Service Animals DOJ's Proposal and Rationale for Allowing Psychiatric Service Animals (dogs only) Service Animals on the Radio, a Horse Fetching a Beer, Plus Blog Maintenance Downtime Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2092775 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:57:07 +0100 2092775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073787&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fdawkins-yearning-for-humanchimp-hybrid.html I am not sure why some materialists are so fervently anti human exceptionalism. I suspect they believe that by humbling us into believing our lives are no more important than that of animals, it would undermine Judeo/Christiam moral philosophy in general and theism in particular. Some too, I think, wish to have us sacrifice ourselves to "save the planet," in pursuit of the neo- nature worship that seems to be growing.This desire leads some materialists to yearn for scientists to find (or create) a human/chimpanzee hybrid that could interbreed with both species, and thereby "break the species" barrier. James Hughes yearned for such a hybrid to be manufactured through genetic engineering in Citizen Cyborg, because he wrote, it would prove humans are not special and undermine what he calls "h... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073787 Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:49:00 +0100 2073787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065548&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F494876542%2Ftwin_baby_moose_in_sprinkler_v.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065548 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:18:19 +0100 2065548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065556&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F494089744%2Fcrime_of_passion_video.php Naughty male Australian satin bower bird selectively steals blue items to decorate his nest. The female bower birds rate their partner by their home decor so they do a lot of stealing. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065556 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:15:26 +0100 2065556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2060835&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F12%2Fthis-is-kind-of-criminality-that-too.html A victim of ancillary targeting in the UK has testified in a criminal trial about the kind of hell he experienced merely for working for a company that had a relationship with Huntingdon Life Sciences. From the story: William Denison says what happened to his family at the hands of ALF extremists was like "Chinese water torture". He is managing director of F2 Chemicals, a company which did not deal directly with HLS but is owned by a Japanese glass firm that had links to it. He was picked out as a legitimate target.Denison and his family were hounded at home. His wife left her job as a result of stress, neighbours in his village were told he was a paedophile and he had to install 24-hour security and CCTV cameras in his home.The targeting began at work, but spread quickly. Packages from th... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2060835 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:03:00 +0100 2060835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039819&cid=t_119700_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2008%2F12%2F16%2Fartificial-skin-may-reduce-need-for-animal-testing%2F Mid Brain reports… Next year, the EU has scheduled a ban on all animal testing for cosmetics. Industry experts are skeptical it will actually be implemented. As the Beauty Brains have previously reported, there are not suitable alternatives to replace all animal testing yet. Artificial Skin Alternative But they may be changing.  Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart are working on an automated system for creating artificial skin. They envision it to be used for skin grafts and transplants.  However, it might first be adapted to cosmetic testing as a replacement for animal testing. I am happy to see that scientists are making progress to replace animal testing of cosmetics.  No one likes to see animals still being us... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039819 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:04:29 +0100 2039819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035951&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F482685314%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is something we hope to make a regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Qforma, which traffics in analytics and predictive modeling, hired Kent Harris as senior vice president of sales, new business. He last worked as a regional manager for seven years at Organon Pharmaceuticals and began hi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035951 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:50:51 +0100 2035951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2032989&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F12%2Fbenefit-of-animal-research-diabetes.html Ethical regenerative medical research, coupled with animal experimentation, is leading toward the alleviation of tremendous amounts of human suffering. Israeli scientists have cured mice with type 1 diabetes. From the story: Lewis grafted healthy islets into diabetic mice and treated them with an anti-inflammatory drug called alpha-1-antitrypsin, or AAT. Within months, they discovered three encouraging results: -- AAT enabled the newly grafted islets to survive indefinitely, successfully secreting insulin to control glucose levels like healthy pancreas cells. -- The researchers stopped administering AAT and the islets continued to function. "We withdrew the therapy. That is something that is unique in transplant today," Lewis explained. "There is no approach today that is able to provide a... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2032989 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:33:00 +0100 2032989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027166&cid=t_119700_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F479999669%2F A new and improved annotation of Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii strain H99 (serotype A) has been made available in GenBank and the Broad Institute website. This update is collaboration between several groups providing data and analyses and the genome annotation team at the Broad Institute. Some changes noted by the Broad Institute include: “This release of gene predictions for the serotype A isolate Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii H99 is based on a new genomic assembly provided by Dr. Fred Dietrich at the Duke Center for Genome Technology. The new assembly consists of 14 nuclear chromosomes and a single 21 KB mitochondrial chromosome, and has resulted in a reduction of the estimated genome size from 19.5 to 18.9 Mb. Improvements in the assembly and in our annotation process h... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027166 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:18:06 +0100 2027166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021672&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FwtPCXRlmbF0%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,628,329028,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() It’s something we don’t talk about often here, but our pets can get diabetes just like us. As someone that gives myself multiple shots a day, I can’t imagine having to do that with my dog as well. But it does happen. As this article states, many pet owners are diabetics themselves and understand about the disease when it comes to treating their pet. I think I would probably have much more sympathy for a dog that has diabetes now that I’m diabetic too, wouldn’t you? The same article says, “If left untreated (diabetes) can cause our four-legged friends to lose weight, vomit, become weak and lethargic, or even go b... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021672 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:18:54 +0100 2021672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996204&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fanimal-rights-raid-on-egg-farm-kills.html In Finland, some ALF-type activists raided a chicken farm and killed thousands of chickens in the process. From the story:Suspected radical animal welfare activists raided a poultry farm in Narpio in the southwest of Finland Thursday night. The raiders broke eggs, and destroyed electric equipment, causing the ventilation system to break down. Up to 5,000 of the 26,000 chickens are believed to have died for lack of air.Graffiti left on the wall of the farm contained the letters EVR, the Finnish abbreviation of the Animal Liberation Front.Of course, they won't care that the chickens died. In other similar situations, animal rightists claimed that death was better than lives lived in torture.On a more macro level, we are seeing increased viciousness in political activism from the Left, in ani... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996204 Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:50:00 +0100 1996204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990892&cid=t_119700_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F8urjr_op6Vc%2F 8-gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps has ADHD: Did he succeed not so much in spite of having ADHD, but, in part, because he does? Tara Parker-Pope on the New York Times Well blog posed this question. Allow me to rephrase it in terms of autism and (to refer to an oft-mentioned figure), animal scientist Temple Grandin. Did Grandin succeed not so much in spite of being autistic, but because she is? And as some will not doubt rush in to point out that Grandin is very “hfa,” I’ll note that some things that can make things very trying for more son—his intensive need for order and his particular, deep-running sensory needs—can be of benefit. I always know where to look for his items and he’s becoming a champion grocery-put-awayer. I don’t think he’d ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990892 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:56:59 +0100 1990892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985175&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F464532558%2Fthis_pork_is_tough_video.php [From] Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985175 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:39:03 +0100 1985175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1964338&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F455156360%2Fjumping_spider_courtship_behav.php More movies here Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1964338 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:47:45 +0100 1964338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1963876&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fembattled-oxford-animal-research-center.html It wasn't easy, a thicket of opposition, sometimes very threatening, from animal rights activists, impeded progress, but the new Oxford animal research center has finally opened. From the story on BBC:Four years ago, Cambridge University cancelled plans for a primate research centre, because of concerns over spiralling security costs linked to animal rights. It marked a huge victory for animal rights protestors, who then moved their campaign to Oxford. The vast majority of protests have been entirely lawful. But the police say a small minority of extremists have carried out acts of arson and vandalism against the university, building contractors and anyone they suspected of being linked to the new laboratory. In 2004 the contractors pulled out citing... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1963876 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:54:00 +0100 1963876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1943276&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fpig-organs-for-humans-coming.html We have an organ shortage that desperately needs ameliorating. With such pressing needs, some wish to bend or even break important ethical rules by, for example, obliterating the dead donor rule so that people can be killed for their organs.We can't go down that road, but if it works, we can possibly use organs from pigs. This process known as xenotransplantation, may be coming within ten years according to a report, with kidneys being the most likely organs. From the story: Organs from pigs could be widely available for transplanting into patients in a decade, Lord Winston said yesterday. The first organs suitable for transplanting, most likely kidneys, are expected to be ready within three years and, if tests are successful, their use could be widespread by 2018. A herd of as few as 50 p... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1943276 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:06:00 +0100 1943276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1938875&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fbrave-new-britain-over-protecting.html The UK has apparently promulgated a hyper-detailed set of regulations governing the treatment of animals. Rather than properly guard against actual abuse, it also bans permitting dogs to beg at the table and cats kept from looking out windows. From the story: The guidelines cover the environment for animals, diet, the company they enjoy, ensuring they exhibit normal behaviour patterns, as well as health and welfare issues. The code of practice for dogs advises against taking a dog for a walk during the hottest part of the day or feeding it less than an hour before vigorous exercise in order to avoid "bloating". Owners should groom dogs with long hair at least once a day and all dogs should have teeth cleaned with dog chews or canine toothpaste as part of routine care. Training dogs should ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1938875 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:12:00 +0100 1938875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1933014&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fsoup-kitchens-for-dogs.html A soup kitchen has opened in Berlin to make sure that the pets of homeless people are well fed. From the story: Despite the looming financial crisis, director Claudia Hollm dismissed criticism that it may be more sensible to collect money for humans than for dogs. "Nowadays people underestimate dogs. They are incredibly important for those who lack social contact with other humans," Hollm told Reuters. "Making sure dogs don't go hungry is just as important as making sure that people don't starve," she added.No, it is not "just as important as making sure people don't starve." If one had to choose between feeding a human and a dog, we should choose the human.Luckily, in the affluent West, we don't have to make such a choice. So with the above caveat, I think this is a spendid example of hum... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1933014 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:47:00 +0100 1933014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930859&cid=t_119700_105_f&fid=36987&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FIvorKovicMd%2F%7E3%2F441501003%2F Doctors and their uniforms can sometimes look intimidating to patients, especially children. This is particularly true when doctors are wearing sterile mask. Because of this, Amsterdam and Tokyo-based product, textile, and interior design studio Samira Boon decided to make sterile masks more playful. They say that their mask is no longer masking, but transforming the part of the face it is hiding. Currently there are 15 types of masks, varying from animals and human snouts, to zippers. (Source: Ivor Kovic, M.D.) Ivor Kovic, M.D. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930859 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:49:50 +0100 1930859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930158&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fscientists-clone-frozen-mice.html Scientists have been able to clone mice that have been dead for up to sixteen years. From the story:Japanese scientists have cloned mice whose bodies were frozen for as long 16 years and said on Monday it may be possible to use the technique to resurrect mammoths and other extinct species. Mouse cloning expert Teruhiko Wakayama and colleagues at the Center for Developmental Biology, at Japan's RIKEN research institute in Yokohama, managed to clone the mice even though their cells had burst. "Thus, nuclear transfer techniques could be used to 'resurrect' animals or maintain valuable genomic stocks from tissues frozen for prolonged periods without any cryopreservation," they wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Hmmm. Should we interfere with evolution by trying to bri... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930158 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:25:00 +0100 1930158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921192&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F436271309%2F The drugmaker may not attract many shareholders with its animal health business, but it found an interesting way to promote one of its products - the Canex All Wormer for Dogs. In this arresting ad, the impression is to leave you guessing whether that poor little boy is feeding Fido or, in reality, all those worms creeping around inside the pooch. “Who do you take care of” asks the ad. To us, however, it appears the worm may skip the bowl of dog chow and go straight for the little boy. Hat tip to AdFreak (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921192 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:38:43 +0100 1921192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908705&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fshs-in-air.html I recorded an interview with Shelton Walden a bit ago for his program Walden's Pond on WBAI, 99.5 FM in New York. It airs today at 1 Eastern, or can be streamed here. This is a Pacifica radio station, on the left of the political spectrum as well as the radio dial, and so I was very pleased to be able to reach an audience than in my usual media appearances.Our topics were animal rights, human exceptionalism, human rights, much of the spectrum we cover here at SHS. Walden was a good interviewer and the format allowed us to go into depth.There is a permanent stream of this show in the archives. Go to October 26, 2008 at 1:00 PM. But if you have the inclination and are not otherwise occupied, check it out. (Source: Secondhand Smoke) Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908705 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:32:00 +0100 1908705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907548&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fmisplaced-upset-do-animals-matter-more.html An ad on Craigslist offers to euthanize pets at a discount, upsetting animal lovers. From the story: The person who posted the ad on Craigslist said he or she has a "military background" and is "very good at what I do. All work is carried out at my private home in Federal Heights," the ad stated. "I can promise your pet a quick and painless death. I have had experience with everything from cows and horses to dogs, snakes, parrots and even a few whole litters of unwanted kittens."This is probably a hoax, but if not, it is wrong and if being carried out the perpetrator should be prosecuted.But the story got me to thinking. This is precisely the kind of ad Jack Kevorkian put in the newspapers to get his first assisted suicide clients. And now he gets $50,000 a speech and recently was invited ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907548 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:31:00 +0100 1907548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901308&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fsingle-mouse-adult-stem-cell-grows-new.html Here's an exciting animal experiment. Scientists found an adult prostate stem cell in mice and one cell grew an entire new prostate gland. From the story. Here we identify CD117 (c-kit, stem cell factor receptor) as a new marker of a rare adult mouse PSC population, and demonstrate that a single stem cell defined by the phenotype Lin-Sca-1+CD133+CD44+CD117+ can generate a prostate after transplantation in vivo. CD117 expression is predominantly localized to the region of the mouse prostate proximal to the urethra and is upregulated after castration-induced prostate involution—two characteristics consistent with that of a PSC marker. CD117+ PSCs can generate functional, secretion-producing prostates when transplanted in vivo.It's a very long way from human application, obviously, but anot... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901308 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:29:00 +0100 1901308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1894799&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fcastigated-for-self-defense-against.html Animal rights types sometimes get so lost in their hyper romanticism about animals they lose touch with reality. This is happening now in Canada in the aftermath of a man killing a bear in self defense. The bear's cubs subsequently were euthanized. From the story: A B.C. [British Columbia] man who clubbed a bear to death in self-defence is now defending himself from a smear campaign. Jim West of 70 Mile House says angry animal-rights crusaders have been harassing him at home and impersonating him in e-mails to media outlets...Mr. West says he's also been receiving phone calls. "One woman asked me why I killed the bear and why I didn't run away. Well, you can't outrun a mother bear," said Mr. West who is recovering from the 60 stitches to his skull, upper lip and left arm he received in the... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1894799 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:11:00 +0100 1894799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1888456&cid=t_119700_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F423826948%2F Nearly a year after Raul Kohan, the former head of the drugmaker’s animal health business, was shifted to the No. 2 slot in the wake of the acquistion of Organon’s animal-health unit, he is being placed in charge once again. At the time, Organon’s Ruurd Stolp was tapped to the combined animal health business, which generated $1.45 billion during the first six months of this year. Now, though, Stolp (see photo) is leaving the drugmaker, although there is no word on his destination. The move comes amid ongoing turmoil at Schering-Plough, which is still reeling from a dramatic decline in sales of its Vytorin and Zetia cholesterol drugs and a subsequent reorganization designed that involves closing plants and cutting 10 percent of its workforce of 55,000 in order to save up ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1888456 Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:57:27 +0100 1888456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1880152&cid=t_119700_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F16%2Fanimal_models_how_high_to_set_the_bar.php A key step in all drug discovery programs are the cellular and animal models. The cells are the first time that the compounds are exposed to a living system (with cellular membranes that keep things out). The animals, of course, are a very stringent test indeed, with the full inventory of absorption, metabolism, and excretion machinery, along with the possibility of side effects in systems that you might not have even considered. So it’s a tricky business to make sure that these tests are being done in the most meaningful way possible. You can knock your project out of promising areas for development if your model systems are too tough – and it’s even easier to water them down in the interest of getting numbers that make everyone feel better. “As stringent as they need to be” is... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1880152 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:10:58 +0100 1880152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879957&cid=t_119700_134_f&fid=35157&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartsweet.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F15%2Fa-brief-memo-to-john-mccain%2F Your running mate’s son has DOWN SYNDROME, not AUTISM.        (Source: Artificially Sweetened) Artificially Sweetened blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879957 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:47:09 +0100 1879957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879759&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fone-brain-cell-can-restore-feeling-to.html Some stories are two-fers; that is they relate to two (or perhaps more) issues we address here at SHS. This is one of those. Scientists, using monkeys in experiments, have discovered that one brain cell may be able to restore feeling in the paralyzed. From the story:One tiny brain cell is all it takes to restore voluntary movement of paralysed muscles, scientists in the United States reported Wednesday. In experiments pointing to new treatments for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury or stroke, monkeys learned within minutes to harness the power of a single neuron to activate muscles immobilised by drugs. There are some 100 billion neurons in the human brain, and the study suggests an unsuspected degree of flexibility in the kinds of tasks they can perform. One of the first scientists t... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879759 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:03:00 +0100 1879759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879931&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F421077803%2Fmore-monkey-business-chimp-business-to.html In a follow-up post to our post earlier today about primates, Brandon Keim of Wired Science asks, "Chimps: Not Human, But Are They People?":"As a population of West African chimpanzees dwindles to critically endangered levels, scientists are calling for a definition of personhood that includes our close evolutionary cousins. Just two decades ago, the Ivory Coast boasted a 10,000-strong chimpanzee population, accounting for half of the world's population. According to a new survey, that number has fallen to just a few thousand. News of such a decline, published today in Current Biology, would be saddening in any species. But should we feel more concern for the chimpanzees than for another animal — as much concern, perhaps, as we might feel for other people? 'They are a people. Non-huma... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879931 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:25:31 +0100 1879931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879934&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F420728282%2FO1DBuFgt_Ug%26amp%3Bhl%3Den%26amp%3Bfs%3D1 Friend and colleague Chris MacDonald of the Business Ethics Blog, is not monkeying around (alright, enough with puns, but I couldn't resist) -- he has provoked a firestorm of discussion about animal rights in his recent postings about a story on monkey waiters in Japan. The video and news story indicates that the 'monkeys are only allowed to work two hours a day, which is not bad, even if they are only being paid peanuts.'Fodder for discussion in your bioethics class! (Source: Women's Bioethics Blog) Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879934 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:11:57 +0100 1879934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1868657&cid=t_119700_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F417393403%2Fants_eat_a_gecko_in_a_little_o.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1868657 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:30:30 +0100 1868657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1865398&cid=t_119700_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fthis-is-what-gandhi-would-have-done.html Animal rights radicals who engage in ALF and SHAC terrorism presume to put on the mantle Martin Luther King and Gandhi, claiming that their threats, bombings, vandalism, identity theft, harassment, and intimidation is right out of the civil disobedience playbook. And PETA refuses to condemn, claiming that these actions are akin to the Underground Railroad.So would Gandhi and King have condoned falsely accusing a researcher of being a pedophile to obtain the great goal? That's what happened in the UK. From the story:A father of three was left living in fear after animal rights extremists sent his neighbours letters falsely branding him a paedophile, a court heard today. Vincent Howard, 40, also had a hoax bomb delivered to his family home as part of a sustained campaign of intimidation by t... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1865398 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:42:00 +0100 1865398