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 'central:'. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:53:03 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767075&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcleveland-clinic-targets-the-heart-of-chicago%2F2010.07.19 All I can say is, best of luck. From the Chicago Tribune: In a move likely to shake up the market for heart care in the Chicago area, the well-known Cleveland Clinic’s cardiac surgery program said Thursday that it has signed an affiliation agreement with Central DuPage Hospital in the western Chicago suburbs. The internationally known Cleveland Clinic draws patients from more than 85 countries around the world for everything from open-heart surgery and valve replacement to heart transplants. Its deal with Central DuPage, in Winfield, is designed to enhance the heart care provided at the 313-bed community hospital and potentially bring Cleveland Clinic patient referrals at a time heart surgeries are less needed than they were a decade ago. This won’t shake up the market in Chicago. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767075 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3767075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767122&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F19%2Fintroducing-the-therapist-within%2F I’m pleased to introduce The Therapist Within, a blog about psychotherapy by Gabrielle Gawne-Kelnar. Gabrielle is a psychotherapist who comes to us from Sydney, Australia, and I’m hoping her perspective from a different country and culture on psychotherapy will bring us new insights into the therapy process and the different ways it is practiced. But I’ll let Gabrielle speak for herself: A central part of my work as a therapist is a belief that everyone has their own answers, and their own unique solutions to the challenges in their lives, hidden somewhere inside them — it’s just that sometimes these answers can be hard to see. So, together, we’re embarking on a kind of quest here. A quest for questions. For curious keys that might help unlock some of the answer... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767122 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:00:49 +0100 3767122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750040&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3JD2HOguO0k%2F By Daniel J. MitchellA number of economists have been warning about the Federal Reserve’s easy-money policy, but defenders of the central bank often ask, ”if there’s an easy money policy, why isn’t that showing up in the form of higher prices?” Thomas Sowell has an answer to this question, explaining that people and businesses are sitting on cash because anti-business policies have dampened economic activity. Not only has all the runaway spending and rapid escalation of the deficit to record levels failed to make any real headway in reducing unemployment, all this money pumped into the economy has also failed to produce inflation. The latter is a good thing in itself but its implications are sobering. How can you pour trillions of dollars into the economy an... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750040 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:42:05 +0100 3750040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746917&cid=t_373756_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FGySaSGKo2Vs%2F Because, according to a recent controversial post on Jezebel, you toil unjustly in an insufferably sexist work environment. However, according to a scathingly funny open letter response written by 32 current female members of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart staff (pictured above), that’s just simply not true. We’re not sure whom to believe – we just wish one of these nice secretaries would get us a cup of coffee. photo: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If...You're a Woman Writer on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746917 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:37:42 +0100 3746917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746712&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-youre-a-woman-writer-on-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart%2F Because, according to a recent controversial post on Jezebel, you toil unjustly in an insufferably sexist work environment. However, according to a scathingly funny open letter response written by 32 current female members of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart staff (pictured above), that’s just simply not true. We’re not sure whom to believe – we just wish one of these nice secretaries would get us a cup of coffee. photo: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If...You're a Woman Writer on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746712 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:37:42 +0100 3746712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695567&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fusing-ultrasound-to-zap-the-brain-back-into-action%2F2010.06.24 Scientists at Arizona State University have developed a new method of non-surgical brain stimulation using pulsed ultrasound that enhances cognitive function in mice, and may one day be used to non-invasively treat patients with mental retardation, Alzheimer’s disease and other central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions. In intact motor cortex in mice, ultrasound was found to stimulate action potentials and elicit motor responses comparable to those only previously achieved with implanted electrodes and related techniques. It also activates meaningful brain wave patterns and the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus — one of the most potent regulators of brain plasticity. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgad... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695567 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:00:01 +0100 3695567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695626&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fomega-3-treatment-for-depression%2F Can omega 3 help treat depression? According to new research, the answer is yes. In one of the largest studies on omega-3 supplements done to date, Canadian researchers found that for people who don’t also have an anxiety disorder with their depression, the popular omega-3 fish supplements helped improve depression symptoms. The improvements the researchers found in this study were similar to improvements found in studies of antidepressants, suggesting that for some people, omega-3 may be an inexpensive antidepressant alternative. From October 2005 to January 2009, 432 male and female participants with major unipolar depression were recruited to take part in this randomized, double-blind study (neither patients nor researchers knew which capsules patients received). For eight weeks,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695626 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:02:07 +0100 3695626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687108&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3200 Western herbal medicine need not be mystical nonsense, but it usually it is,  Plants often contain chemicals that have pharmacological actions, with all the possibilities for good and for harm that implies (see Plants as medicines).  It would be quite possible to teach about the plant constituents and their actions in an entirely scientific way, but it seems that this is not what courses in herbal medicine choose to do.  That is why they shouldn’t be called Bachelor of Science degrees. We have recently revealed the ancient nonsense taught at Middlesex University in its "BSc (Hons)" degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Dangerous Chinese medicine taught at Middlesex University as well as similar dangerous gobbledygook from the University of Westminster:... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687108 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:17:47 +0100 3687108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671672&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrAaybV1oE8Q%2F By Tom G. PalmerCAFMI Director Mirsulzhan Namazaliev at 2009 Cato University Kyrgyz libertarians are leading a series of coordinated voluntary efforts to provide emergency aid to the victims of the vicious attacks of the last few days in their country and to promote peace throughout the nation and the region.  I’ve been in regular touch with our friends there, and on Tuesday evening I talked to Central Asian Free Market Institute (CAFMI) Director Mirsulzhan Namazaliev by Skype, as he was interrupted by a stream of volunteers working late into the night in the CAFMI offices.  He made their resolution clear: “We are helping those who are suffering, but we are doing more.  For me personally this is not only a fight for life.  It is a fight for freedom.  We don’t want to be rule... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671672 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:29:58 +0100 3671672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671890&cid=t_373756_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-pill-approved%2F The first oral, disease-modifying MS drug, Fingolimod, was approved for release and marketing by the FDA’s Advisory Committee on Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs a few days ago! I apologize for the delay my reporting such important news, but my travel schedule has been a bit nutty of late. Data was submitted earlier this year as to the efficacy and safety of the drug and the approval process took a HUGE leap on June 10 this a unanimous, 25-0 vote to allow drug maker, Novartis, to begin the next phase in the long process of bringing new drugs to market. Contacts at Novartis wouldn’t give a firm date as to the release of the drug to the US market, but it will most assuredly be available before for doctors’ prescriptions by the end of the calendar year. A .25mg dose of the dr... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671890 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:26:56 +0100 3671890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644941&cid=t_373756_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F_ky-_CZWSns%2F In case you missed last night’s episode of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart on Comedy Central, here’s a clip from the beginning. We were going to comment on correspondent Helen Thomas and her recent controversial comments about Israel, but instead we thought we’d leave the commenting to the reigning champion of political humor. Post from: BlissTree The Daily Show With Jon Stewart From Last Night: Videos That Crack Us Up (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644941 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:35:56 +0100 3644941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644737&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fthe-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-from-last-night-videos-that-crack-us-up%2F In case you missed last night’s episode of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart on Comedy Central, here’s a clip from the beginning. We were going to comment on correspondent Helen Thomas and her recent controversial comments about Israel, but instead we thought we’d leave the commenting to the reigning champion of political humor. Post from: BlissTree The Daily Show With Jon Stewart From Last Night: Videos That Crack Us Up (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644737 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:35:56 +0100 3644737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629856&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F04%2Focd_linked_to_the_immune_system.php Now here's one that I certainly didn't expect: there's a mouse model of obsessive-compulsive disorder, where the animals have a mutation in the Hoxb8 gene. These animals spend huge amounts of time repetitively grooming themselves (and their cagemates), and eventually remove so much hair that they give themselves lesions. From what I can see, they're doing the usual moves that mice do, but spending a lot more time doing them. And it doesn't seem to be something due to insensitivity to pain; the animals have some sensory alterations, but disrupting Hoxb8 in the spinal cord only doesn't lead to the grooming phenotype. A new paper from a group at University of Utah reports that the brain signature of Hoxb8 mutation is found only in a population of microglia, one variety of the support cells t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629856 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:23:27 +0100 3629856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599323&cid=t_373756_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Ften-years-of-pubmed-central-a-good-thing-thats-only-going-to-get-better%2F PubMed Central (PMC) is a free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), developed and managed by NIH’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) (see PMC overview). PMC is a central repository for biomedical peer reviewed literature in [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599323 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:19:23 +0100 3599323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592196&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGpYjJuTxPnw%2F By Michael F. CannonThe following excerpt from Jeffrey Friedman’s article in the January/February 2010 issue of Cato Policy Report, though about the financial industry rather than health care reform, captures why so many critics of ObamaCare are comfortable describing it as socialism: What I am calling social democracy is, in its form, very different from socialism. Under social democracy, laws and regulations are issued piecemeal, as flexible responses to the side effects of progress — social and economic problems — as they arise, one by one…. The case-by-case approach is supposed to be the height of pragmatism. But in substance, there is a striking similarity between social democracy and the most utopian socialism. Whether through piecemeal regulation or central planning,... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592196 Mon, 24 May 2010 14:21:37 +0100 3592196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585596&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fw_6bVPmLuzg%2F By Daniel IkensonIn a Cato paper released earlier this month, I argued that the glacial pace of America’s economic recovery and its growing public debt juxtaposed against China’s almost uninterrupted double-digit annual economic growth and its role as Congress’s sugar daddy have bred insecurity among U.S. opinion leaders, many of whom now advocate a more strident approach to China, or emulation of its top-down approach. I cite, among others, Thomas Friedman of the New York Times, who is enamored of autocracy’s capacity to facilitate China’s singularity of purpose to dominate the industries of the future: One-party autocracy certainly has its drawbacks. But when it is led by a reasonably enlightened group of people, as China is today, it can also have great advantages. That one... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585596 Thu, 20 May 2010 19:10:12 +0100 3585596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581588&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FgqqswmxuieU%2F By Chris EdwardsYesterday, the Washington Post reviewed the life of Phyllis McClure, who was an advocate for federal education spending in low-income neighborhoods. Once an aspiring journalist, Ms. McClure joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund in 1969. She immediately used her penchant for muckraking to illuminate the widespread misuse of federal funds meant to boost educational opportunities for the country’s neediest students. The money was part of the new Title I program, created under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The slim volume that Ms. McClure wrote in 1969 with Ruby Martin — ‘Title I of ESEA: Is It Helping Poor Children?’ — showed how millions of dollars across the country were being used by school districts to make ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581588 Thu, 20 May 2010 14:55:25 +0100 3581588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3577451&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F19%2Fpsych-central-iphone-app%2F Have you ever wanted to keep up with the primary content published on Psych Central or one of its dozens of blogs on your iPhone? Now you can with the Psych Central iPhone app (free, of course!). If you already have an iPhone, just pull up the App Store and type in “psychcentral” in the search box, and you’ll see it pop right up. Download it and in a few minutes you’ll be up and running with all of the latest articles from Psych Central News, our dozens of blogs, World of Psychology and the Ask the Therapist feature. The app is completely customizable as well, allowing you to view and keep updated only on the content of interest to you. Don’t care about Blog C or Blog G? Simply turn them off and their content will no longer be displayed. You can customize font... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3577451 Wed, 19 May 2010 10:06:00 +0100 3577451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573775&cid=t_373756_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2FQ4Reaa85lRs%2F           Tourette syndrome (TS), or Tourette disorder, is more common Origins of Tourette Syndrome than doctors once thought.  It affects at least 1 in 1,000 to 2,000 people and maybe more.  It is believed that about 100,000 Americans have the disorder. Many more may have other tic disorders that are less severe.  Tourette syndrome is more common in boys than in girls.  It almost always starts before age 18 – usually between ages 5 and 7.  Even though kids with Tourette syndrome can get better as they get older, many will always have it.  The good news is that it won’t make them sick or shorten their lives.  The syndrome is a condition that affects a person’s central nervous system and causes tics.  Tics are unwanted twitches, movements or sounds that ... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573775 Tue, 18 May 2010 09:35:04 +0100 3573775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560496&cid=t_373756_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fas95V6glgzI%2F Containing drug development costs and speeding compounds through the pipeline is always a big issue, but clinical trials are becoming more expensive anyway. Why? One answer is the increasing complexity of the studies - the number of procedures for each clinical trial rose 49 percent from the 2000 to 2003 period to the 2004 to 2007 timeframe, and the total effort per protocal jumped 54 percent. For instance, the average number of eligibility criteria used to screen volunteers rose 58 percent, which contributed to a 21 percent decline in volunteers enrolling in trials. But the larger number of procedures per protocol dissuades volunteers from completing trials - retention rates dropped 230 percent, according to the Tufts Centers for the Study of Drug Development, which reviewed data from 8,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560496 Thu, 13 May 2010 15:15:35 +0100 3560496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3522694&cid=t_373756_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2Fa9Ooujq93yw%2F           The Greek word “apnea” literally means “without breath.”  There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common.  Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.  You should know that the condition is very common.  In fact, it is as common as adult diabetes and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.  More than half of the people who have the disorder are overweight.  Sleep apnea is more common in men.  One out of 25 middle-aged men and 1 out of 50 middle-aged women has sle... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3522694 Sat, 01 May 2010 14:40:45 +0100 3522694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515492&cid=t_373756_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Frisks-and-flaws-nhin-development Everyone who cares about the privacy of their PHI should read Latanya Sweeney’s written testimony on the NHIN flaws (PDF).   Her criticisms of the proposed models National Health Information Network are sorely needed.   HHS has been charging ahead full steam without paying attention to the risks and flaws of the models they are funding.   (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515492 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:23:09 +0100 3515492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511585&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fintroducing-mental-health-humor%2F I’m pleased to introduce the new blog, Mental Health Humor — humor from the creative and always-interesting mind of Chato B. Stewart. We’re pleased to welcome Chato to Psych Central, as he’s been blogging elsewhere online for years, sharing his unique and funny perspective on all things mental health and human behavior. Humor is an individual thing, though, and we recognize that. So you may not find everything Chato does “funny,” and that’s okay. That just reminds us all that we all have an individual and unique sense of humor. But Chato says it best – I’ve known all my life the power behind humor, it can give help, hope and healing. My goal and mission has also been to tap into humor and use it as a positive tool to cope with the serious ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511585 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:40:28 +0100 3511585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511762&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fhomemade_morphine.php I wrote here some time ago about human cells actually making their own morphine - real morphine, the kind that everyone thought was only produced in poppy plants. Now there's a paper in PNAS where various deuterium-labeled precursors of morphine were dosed in rats, and in each case they converted it to the next step in the known biosynthesis. The yields were small, since each compound was metabolically degraded as well, but it appears that rats are capable of all steps of a morphine synthesis from at least the isoquinoline compound tetrahydropapaveroline (THP). And that's pretty interesting, because it's also been established that rats have small THP in their brains and other tissues - as do humans. And humans, it appears, almost always have trace amounts of morphine in the urine - which ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511762 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:19:37 +0100 3511762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501563&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F24%2Foff-the-internet-for-24-hours%2F What happens when you take 200 journalism students and cut them off from the Internet for 24 hours? It’s something I might call “information anxiety,” because the students expressed a great deal of anxiety in the narratives they provided the researchers after the experiment was over. (But I would be quick to add, I’d never consider this a ‘disorder’ — just a simple, predictable result of removing an important set of tools we’ve come to rely on from our everyday world.) “Students expressed tremendous anxiety about being cut-off from information,” observed Ph.D. student Raymond McCaffrey, a former writer and editor at The Washington Post, and a current researcher on the study. “One student said he realized that he suddenly ‘had less in... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501563 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:34:08 +0100 3501563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501413&cid=t_373756_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fdrug-combination-could-solve-snoring.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501413 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:19:00 +0100 3501413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3499118&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-april-23-2010%2F Wow can this week really be over?! Perhaps it was all of the celebrations that took place this week that made it go by in a flash. If you haven’t already heard, it was our birthday over here at Psych Central. Can you believe it’s been fifteen years since we began? Thanks to all of you who have sent a ton of b-day wishes on Twitter, Facebook and on our blogs! We really couldn’t have made it this far without you! And if that wasn’t enough, it was Earth Day yesterday. What did you do to celebrate? One fan on Facebook got creative by donating money, picking up trash and getting some exercise at the same time! Speaking of which, scroll down to the first post and see how you can keep the celebration going. Here are the posts that made it to the best of our blogs this week... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3499118 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:34:17 +0100 3499118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490704&cid=t_373756_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2F4s8IJdYx6fs%2F           Retinal detachment will affect about one out of 10,000 people each year in the United States.  The retina is a thin layer of light-sensitive nerve fibers and cells that covers the inside and back of the eyeball.  For us to see, light must pass through the lens of the eye and focus on the retina.  The retina then acts like a camera, taking a picture and transmitting the image through the optic nerve to the brain.  The vitreous fluid, the gel-like material that fills the eyeball, is attached to the retina around the back of the eye.  If the vitreous changes shape, it may pull a piece of the retina with it, leaving a retinal tear.  Once a retinal tear occurs, vitreous fluid may seep between the retina and the back wall of the eye, causing the retina to pull away.  Th... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490704 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:59:52 +0100 3490704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3457974&cid=t_373756_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FqclZUQhTXbc%2F By now you’ve seen the new Nike TV ad featuring Tiger Woods and the voice of his inquisitive (yet deceased) dad. Genius marketing, state-of-the-art technology, top-flight manipulation. But have you heard Ward Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver and Gene Wilder’s character from Young Frankenstein giving sage advice to ol’ Tiger? Much, much funnier. Check out this clip from an episode of The Colbert Report this week on Comedy Central: Post from: BlissTree Our Absolute Favorite Video of the Week: Stephen Colbert on Tiger Woods (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3457974 Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:18:50 +0100 3457974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3457819&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Four-absolute-favorite-video-of-the-week-stephen-colbert-on-tiger-woods%2F By now you’ve seen the new Nike TV ad featuring Tiger Woods and the voice of his inquisitive (yet deceased) dad. Genius marketing, state-of-the-art technology, top-flight manipulation. But have you heard Ward Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver and Gene Wilder’s character from Young Frankenstein giving sage advice to ol’ Tiger? Much, much funnier. Check out this clip from an episode of The Colbert Report this week on Comedy Central: Post from: BlissTree Our Absolute Favorite Video of the Week: Stephen Colbert on Tiger Woods (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3457819 Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:18:50 +0100 3457819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3453888&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fv4Qyws5guZs%2F By Michael F. CannonFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a speech in Dallas yesterday where he inadvertently discredited claims that ObamaCare would reduce health care costs and the federal deficit.  According to The Washington Post: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke warned Wednesday that Americans may have to accept higher taxes or changes in cherished entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security if the nation is to avoid staggering budget deficits that threaten to choke off economic growth… While the immediate audience for the speech was the Dallas Regional Chamber, his message was intended for Congress and the Obama administration… Bernanke has urged Congress to address long-term fiscal imbalances in congressional testimony before, but usually only when he... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3453888 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:44:29 +0100 3453888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3435040&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FkbXLcrVifJU%2F By Chris EdwardsEducation scholar Diane Ravitch has an op-ed in today’s Washington Post arguing that the nation needs to change course on K-12 education. Ravitch was a supporter of the No Child Left Behind Act, but now she says “we wasted eight years with the ‘measure and punish’ strategy of NCLB.” So central planning of the nation’s schools from Washington didn’t work under George W. Bush, but now Ravitch has a whole bunch of new central planning ideas for the schools. She uses the phrases “we need” and “we must” repeatedly, implying that we should impose new national rules of her choosing on all the schools. She says:  ”Everyone agrees that good education requires good teachers. To get good teachers, states sho... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3435040 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:49:50 +0100 3435040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433099&cid=t_373756_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FQSONiUQ-xis%2F I first had this thought recently when a guy at the store with a shopping cart filled with organic groceries cut in front of me at the checkout line. He must have seen me – I’m a size four, not invisible. After he piled his eco-purchases onto the conveyor belt, I saw him peer back into my cart; he was clearly disappointed with my decision to choose non-organic cereal and vegetables. (We’re still in a recession, people!) It reminded me of that “South Park” episode in which everyone bought hybrid cards, and instead of polluting the environment with smog, they clogged up the community with their smug. Shoppers who buy “green” and organic products may feel like ethical superstars, but according to a study by the University of Toronto titled “Do Green Product... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433099 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:34:48 +0100 3433099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432847&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Feco-conscious-do-gooders-are-entitled-jackasses%2F I first had this thought recently when a guy at the store with a shopping cart filled with organic groceries cut in front of me at the checkout line. He must have seen me – I’m a size four, not invisible. After he piled his eco-purchases onto the conveyor belt, I saw him peer back into my cart; he was clearly disappointed with my decision to choose non-organic cereal and vegetables. (We’re still in a recession, people!) It reminded me of that “South Park” episode in which everyone bought hybrid cards, and instead of polluting the environment with smog, they clogged up the community with their smug. Shoppers who buy “green” and organic products may feel like ethical superstars, but according to a study by the University of Toronto titled “Do Green Product... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432847 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:34:48 +0100 3432847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429377&cid=t_373756_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Ft-A4y028J8g%2F If someone tells you they never lie to their kids, they’re lying. Some truth-stretching is essential in order to spare youngsters from life’s harsh realities, or just make parents’ lives a little easier. Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” coined his own term for it: Truthiness – truth that comes from the gut, not books. So, here are four instances when we give you permission to lie straight to your kids’ faces. Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy Dilemma We know this one is controversial. Some hardcore parents spill the beans from day one about Santa Claus and the rest of them being big fat phonies. But those families miss a lot – leaving out cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer, hunting for eggs on Easter Sund... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429377 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:33:39 +0100 3429377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429154&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Flie-to-your-kids-and-feel-good-about-it%2F If someone tells you they never lie to their kids, they’re lying. Some truth-stretching is essential in order to spare youngsters from life’s harsh realities, or just make parents’ lives a little easier. Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” coined his own term for it: Truthiness – truth that comes from the gut, not books. So, here are four instances when we give you permission to lie straight to your kids’ faces. Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy Dilemma We know this one is controversial. Some hardcore parents spill the beans from day one about Santa Claus and the rest of them being big fat phonies. But those families miss a lot – leaving out cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer, hunting for eggs on Easter Sund... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429154 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:33:39 +0100 3429154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420539&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F29%2Fteenage-bullying-leads-to-9-indictments%2F You know things have gotten bad when prosecutors start prosecuting teens — some on felony charges that could result in significant jail time — because of bullying. Yes, bullying. Most of us have experienced bullying at one point in our lives, or know someone who has been bullied. Of course for most, the bullying didn’t result in lifelong scars. Part of that is because the extremes of bullying were not really known 20 or 30 years ago. You couldn’t bully someone 24/7 through Facebook, Twitter, email and forums devoted entirely to making other people’s lives miserable (yes, such online communities exist). So nowadays sometimes bullying is taken to an extreme. Not by one or two teens or kids, but by a whole gang of them. In central Massachusetts, it led Phoebe P... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420539 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:17:02 +0100 3420539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403849&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fin-praise-of-e-breakups%2F Men can be annoying when they’re trying to be polite. I had been seeing Daniel for a few weeks. We went out for dinner a couple of times, and spent one lovely Saturday afternoon kissing on the lawn in New York’s Central Park. He was just my type: a funny, neurotic Jewish guy who grew up in Manhattan. He had fun stories about his parents, his therapist, and his antidepressant medication regimen. I didn’t know him all that well, but I was smitten. For our fourth date, Daniel asked me to dinner at a restaurant convenient to him. This could only mean one thing: He wanted to bring me back to his place afterward – an invitation to which I would not object. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Before our entrées arrived (but, sadly, after we had ordered them), Daniel told me that we �... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403849 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:07:58 +0100 3403849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3358942&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpregnancy-woes%2F Sad Pregnant Woman I’m always intrigued — and frankly, quite skeptical — when Hollywood star moms-to-be gush over how much they love being pregnant. They wax on about how they’ve never felt better or sexier. They blather about how beautiful their skin looks and silky their hair feels. My all-time favorite, however, is when they exclaim that they wish they could be pregnant forever. Better them than me, I say. For me, pregnancy sucked. Getting pregnant sucked even worse. A little back story: My husband and I had tried for about a year to have a kid the old fashioned way. No baby showed, so we moved on to fertility drugs, and then artificial insemination. Still nothing. So we brought in the big guns – in vitro fertilization – because it turned out we were, reproductively speaking... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3358942 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:46 +0100 3358942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346446&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_2rkEyE6Yn4%2F By David Boaz“Michael Foot, a bookish intellectual and anti-nuclear campaigner who led Britain’s Labour Party to a disastrous defeat in 1983, died [March 3],” reported the Associated Press. He was 96. Foot personified the socialist tendency in the Labour Party, which Tony Blair successfully erased when he won power at the head of a business-friendly, interventionist “New Labour.” Yet Foot remained a respected, even revered, figure. “Michael Foot was a giant of the Labour movement, a man of passion, principle and outstanding commitment to the many causes he fought for,” Blair said Wednesday. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Blair’s partner in creating “New Labour,” praised Foot as a “genuine British radical” and a “ma... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346446 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:40:51 +0100 3346446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346502&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Fintroducing-adhd-from-a-to-zoe%2F I know we just launched our first blog devoted to attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and related issues last week. But now I’m pleased to bring you a second one, too. Sometimes fate just works that way. I’m pleased to introduce you today to ADHD: From A to Zoë, a blog about a woman who lives with ADHD with the hyperactivity. (It’s now commonplace to abbreviate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as ADHD, even though some people who have this disorder don’t experience hyperactivity and it’s often just referred to as attention deficit disorder.) I met Zoë through Pete Quily, an ADHD coach whose regular and consistent tweeting I enjoy. This blog explores ADHD from the unique perspective of a woman who experiences the H — hyperactivity — component of t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346502 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:30:25 +0100 3346502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311746&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F26%2Ffriday-flashback-for-february-26-2010%2F I’m in Houston on my annual e-patients retreat. So what better way to help you get through your TGIF fever than to give you a look back on what we were talking about on Psych Central in years past (gee, I sound so old-timey!). 11 Years Ago on Psych Central The Great Psychology Prescription Debate I boiled psychologists’ push for prescription privileges down to a question of money in this post. Psychologists are being pushed down the income ladder by cheaper psychotherapy providers (like marriage and family therapists and clinical social workers), and so look upward to see what they could be doing that could be making them more money. Psychiatrists can make twice as much psychologists because they can prescribe psychiatric medications. Re-reading this essay, I think things are a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311746 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:18:02 +0100 3311746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283609&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F17%2Fteens-sunlight-and-sleep%2F Two new studies out this week demonstrate the importance of teens getting enough sunlight and sleep. Staying up all night — and not worrying about sleep until later — can come back to haunt you for numerous reasons. Fatigue leads to poor school performance and general crankiness (above and beyond your normal crankiness). Lack of sleep may also shrink your brain as well as your memory. And sleep problems in children have been linked to ADHD. Researchers have studied this behavior and now believe insufficient daily morning light exposure contributes to teenagers not getting enough sleep: “These morning-light-deprived teenagers are going to bed later, getting less sleep and possibly under-performing on standardized tests. We are starting to call this the teenage night owl syndr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283609 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:24:07 +0100 3283609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3266931&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2747 Every single request for information about course materials in quack medicine that I have ever sent has been turned down by universities, It is hardly as important as as refusal of FoI requests to see climate change documents, but it does indicate that some vice-chancellors are not very interested in openness. This secretiveness is exactly the sort of thing that leads to lack of trust in universities and in science as a whole. The one case that I have won took over three years and an Information Tribunal decision against the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) before I got anything. UCLAN spent £80,307.95.(inc VAT at 17.5%) in legal expenses alone (plus heaven knows how much in staff time) to prevent us from seeing what was taught on their now defunct “BSc (Hons) homeopa... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3266931 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:59:15 +0100 3266931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259299&cid=t_373756_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F10%2Fan-interview-with-f-sommer-anderson-central-sensitisation-syndromes%2F How many of you have headed off to ‘Therapy Worksheets’ blog? Yes, that’s the one I’ve linked to in my roundup of the best CBT resources on the internet.  Will Baum, the editor of that blog is also the author of where the client is, a blog about professional private practice in mental health care.  Will contacted me the other day and sent me a link to a really interesting interview with Frances Sommer Anderson, a clinical psychologist who works with people experiencing chronic pain.  Her take on chronic pain management is influenced by John Sarno, who has a hypothesis that much chronic pain is influenced by psychological factors (often emotional issues) from childhood.  One of the premises of his approach is that people need to heal their ‘repressed’... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259299 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:45:32 +0100 3259299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3248566&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F07%2Fwatching-others-do-good-clean-scents-promote-altruism%2F What would you say if I told you that simply observing people thanking others induced more altruism? The simple act of watching someone else do something uplifting or a good deed motivates us to also do good. At least that’s what researchers found in a recent demonstration of this effect at the University of Plymouth. In two experiments, researchers (Schnall et al., 2010) tested the level of altruistic behaviors amongst female students by asking them to view TV clips of three kinds — a neutral clip showing scenes from a nature documentary, an uplifting segment from “The Oprah Winfrey Show” showing musicians thanking their mentors, or a clip from a British comedy, intended to induce mirth. When asked if they wanted to participate in another study (in the first experiment), ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3248566 Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:05:48 +0100 3248566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3220559&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F29%2Fdo-you-refer-to-yourselves-as-we-in-a-couple%2F If you do, congratulations! You’re likely better at conflict resolution with your partner than couples who don’t refer to themselves as “we.” How do we know? Well, conversations can tell us a lot about how couples view themselves, both individually and as a couple. By analyzing conversations between couples, you can learn a lot about their interactions: UC Berkeley researchers analyzed conversations between 154 middle-aged and older couples about points of disagreement in their marriages and found that those who used pronouns such as “we,” “our” and “us” behaved more positively toward one another and showed less physiological stress. In contrast, couples who emphasized their “separateness” by using pronouns such as “I,” “me” and “you” we... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3220559 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:02:37 +0100 3220559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216829&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F28%2Facorda_and_ampyra.php I had not been following the progress of Acorda's recently approved drug Ampyra for MS. (Well, more specifically, it's to improve gait and walking speed in MS patients). Opinion seems to be rather divided about how successful it'll be. On the one hand, new therapies for multiple sclerosis are certainly needed, but there's also room to argue about just how efficacious Ampyra really is. I'm not going to fight that one out here, because we'll have the judgment of the market pretty soon. What I find interesting is the structure of this new drug: it's 4-aminopyridine. If there's a more simple, lower molecular weight structure approved within the next few years as an oral drug for anything, I'll be quite surprised. This brings up several interesting topics relating to drug development and in... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216829 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:35:20 +0100 3216829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216730&cid=t_373756_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Ffda-approves-the-walking-pill-for-multiple-sclerosis%2F As of Friday afternoon, a long awaited addition to our arsenal of MS symptomatic drugs has been approved. We had a conversation about Ampyra which is a timed-release version of the drug 4-Aminopyridine (and formerly known as Fampridine SR), last May.  At that time the drug was being resubmitted to the FDA for approval (rejected, originally, due to “formatting issues” during the application process). This drug is thought to increase signal conduction by blocking tiny pore-like potassium channels on nerves of the central nervous system (CNS). The time-released part of the drug is what is new, for those of you who have been getting 4-Aminopyridine from compound pharmacies. Phase III clinical trials suggest that some 34-43 percent of people taking Ampyra had positive results in the areas ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216730 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:01:39 +0100 3216730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212310&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTtjt1Gia9H0%2F By Michael F. CannonIn The New York Review of Books, oncologist and author Jerome Groopman delivers a stunning rebuke to those in the Obama administration (read: OMB director Peter Orszag) who think the federal government can improve health care quality by telling doctors how to practice medicine: in the Senate health care bill…Doctors and hospitals that follow “best practices,” as defined by government-approved standards, are to receive more money and favorable public assessments. Those who deviate from federal standards would suffer financial loss and would be designated as providers of poor care… Over the past decade, federal “choice architects”—i.e., doctors and other experts acting for the government and making use of research on comparative effec... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212310 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:23:41 +0100 3212310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197880&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F22%2Fmaybe_you_need_some_more_testosterone_over_there.php This one's also from the Department of Placebo Effects - read on. An interesting paper out in Nature details a study where volunteers took small doses of testosterone or placebo, and then participated in a standard behavioral test, the "Ultimatum Game". That's the one where two people participate, with one of them given a sum of money (say, $10), that's to be divided between the two of them. The player with the money makes an offer to divide the pot, which the other player can only take or leave (no counteroffers). A number of interesting questions about altruism and competition have been examined through this game and its variants - basically, the first thing to ask is how much the "dictator" player will feel like offering at all. (If you like, here's the Freakonomics guys talking about t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197880 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:32:59 +0100 3197880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189288&cid=t_373756_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Freally-weird-ms-symptoms%2F If multiple sclerosis symptoms are nothing else, especially to the newly diagnosed, they are weird!  Sure, symptoms can be frightening, challenging, difficult and even debilitating… but how many times have I caught myself saying, “Hmmmm, that’s weird!” Often we are told, “That’s doesn’t sound like MS,” or something of the kind, by our medical professionals only to find out (oft, via the pages of this blog) that we are not alone in our experience of something not in the medical text books.  It is one of the aspects of the Life with MS blog of which I am most proud! I have a real doozie to share, with a discussion of MS symptoms from the X-Files. The middle of last week, I developed a cold.  You know that feeling when you wake, somewhere between the back of your nose and t... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189288 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:14:22 +0100 3189288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185417&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fmilitary-wives-more-likely-to-be-depressed-anxious%2F As we reported late last week, a recent study has confirmed that wives of active-duty soldiers are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and other mental health conditions. While much attention is focused on the mental health of soldiers themselves (especially with the recent rise in suicides in the military), a lot less attention is given to the families of those soldiers. This new study helps shed some much-needed light on the subject, and confirms what has long been suspected — the emotional toll for war-time deployments is much higher than anybody thought. The AP story on this issue had this quote: “Spouses tell me all the time that they want to get mental health assistance,” [wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] said. &#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185417 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:57:19 +0100 3185417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3167197&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F12%2Fintroducing-the-psych-central-community-connection%2F It’s a proud day for our Psych Central family. Today, we officially announced the creation of the Psych Central Community Connection, Psych Central’s new non-profit arm. What is the Psych Central Community Connection? The Connection is our non-profit that makes micro grants (also called personal grants) available to Psych Central members in emergency financial need. These micro grants (of $500 or less per individual) are for immediate personal/family need that might make the difference between homelessness and staying in one’s home, heat in the winter or freezing cold, or keeping the electricity turned on. They were previously referred to as “Community Fund Drives” and, indeed, we will continue to rely on our community of kind-hearted members to offer matchi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3167197 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:10:37 +0100 3167197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149114&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fplacebo-as-good-as-paxil-tofranil-for-most-depression%2F From the “What the…?!” file, new research we reported on today found that two antidepressants — Paxil (still commonly prescribed) and Tofranil (not commonly prescribed) — seem to only really work for the most severe kind of depression. When prescribed for mild to moderate — the vast majority of depression diagnosed today — these two antidepressants did not any better than a sugar pill placebo. The researchers for this new study pooled together the results of six previously published research studies that compared the effects of antidepressants to placebo for 718 adults with varying levels of depression — from very severe depression, to moderate depression, to mild depression. Three of the studies looked at paroxetine (Paxil) and the others l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149114 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:06:39 +0100 3149114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149064&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2628 The purpose of this post is to reveal a few samples of things that are taught on a homeopathy ‘degree’ course. The course in question was the "BSc Hons homeopathy course at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). Entry to this course was closed in 2008 and, after an internal review, UCLAN closed almost all of the rest of its courses in alternative medicine too. The university is to be commended for this . The purpose of making public some of what used to be taught is not to embarrass UCLAN, which has already done the sensible thing, but to make it clear that the sort of thing taught on such courses is both absurd and dangerous, in the hope of discouraging other courses .Three years after I first asked for teaching materials, the Information Commisioner ruled th... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149064 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:56:33 +0100 3149064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3135514&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2618 Can’t resist another bit of straight plagiarism. In this week’s Times Higher Education, the inimitable Laurie Taylor wrote this. Rock around the clock Professor Georgina Kunzite, the Head of our Department of Crystal Healing, has reacted strongly to the recent High Court ruling that the University of Central Lancashire must hand over teaching materials from its defunct homeopathy course to a campaigning sceptic. Speaking to our reporter, Keith Ponting (30), she said she had no intention of acceding to any similar request for materials from her own oversubscribed course in crystal therapy. Such a move, she argued, risked undermining the power of the crystals, which were notoriously wary of attempts to question their curative validity. She had initially been disconcerted by... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3135514 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:08:32 +0100 3135514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111464&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F21%2Fmanaging-childrens-expectations-during-a-holiday-recession%2F This will not be a great Christmas for many families, due to another holiday season with the economy still in shambles. That is, if you believe that Christmas should be measured in the amount of gifts you give (or receive). And while most of us wouldn’t say we believe the number of gifts we give to our children is important, many still rely on quantity acting as some sort of indicator of parental worthiness. Psych Central writers have written before on this topic, doing Christmas on a budget and providing answers to people who believe simplifying during the holidays is just not possible. It is. And you should always set a budget for gift purchases every year (for all occasions, not just Christmas). “But what if that budget this year is smaller than in years past? Won’t m... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111464 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:00:22 +0100 3111464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3108398&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F20%2Fautism-rates-redux-autism-rates-better-than-in-october%2F Talk about déjà vu. It was just over two months ago we and other news agencies reported on a study published in the journal Pediatrics that found that autism was now in about 1 in 91 children. So I was scratching my head when I started seeing news reports late this past week stating that autism was in 1 out of every 110 children. After a little digging, I see it was spurred by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issuing a press release on the findings of an analysis of actual 8-year-old child health records, published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The Pediatrics study was a structured phone survey of parents (not an analysis of actual child health records). While it’s great that we now have two datasets that are in basic agreement that ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3108398 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:56:46 +0100 3108398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3101064&cid=t_373756_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNJXjaAU31_U%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 Merck hired Michael Rosenblatt as executive vice president and chief medical officer. He’s been the dean of Tufts University School of Medicine since 2003 and before that, was a professor of medicine at Harvard Med... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3101064 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:39:33 +0100 3101064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092739&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2Fpsych-central-mindapps-offer-ecbt-iphone-app%2F A few months ago, MindApps released an iPhone application called “eCBT Mood.” It allows a user to apply tried and true cognitive-behavioral techniques in their everyday life, and track their progress with those techniques over time with a simple graph. I liked it because it explained CBT stuff in a direct, easy-to-understand manner, and most importantly, was “actionable.” It walks you through specific steps of an automatic thought, for instance, and gives you encouragement to try and change it as it’s happening. The application’s core is an “eCBT toolbox” that allows you to learn more about your thoughts and feelings, identify your automatic thoughts, keep a feeling and thoughts log, challenge automatic thoughts, and identify and challenge co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092739 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:36:00 +0100 3092739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089262&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fp2n8huTt0pA%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThe picture below, taken from a story in The Economist, shows that France, Germany, and Italy are among the nations with the most central bank employees (as a share of the population). In some sense, this is a dog-bites-man factoid. After all, is anyone surprised that Europe’s major welfare states have bloated public payrolls? But there’s more to this story. All three of these central banks ceased to have a monetary policy, starting back in 2002, when their nations adopted the euro. The mission is gone, but the bureaucracy lives on. To be fair, the bureaucrats in these nations presumably are not sitting in quiet rooms playing minesweeper. Perhaps these central banks are responsible for other functions, such as financial regulation. Of course, given how gov... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089262 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:07:08 +0100 3089262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3071160&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2485 Conclusion 62 It is for these reasons that we uphold the Decision Notice. We record our gratitude for the helpful and succinct submissions of counsel on both sides and the incisive contribution of Professor Colquhoun. We wish to add that, whilst we have not accepted the great majority of the arguments advanced by UCLAN, we do not in any way seek to cast doubt on the veracity of the evidence of its witnesses, nor the honesty and loyalty with which they have sought to serve its interests. 63 Our decision is unanimous. Signed David Farrar Q.C.   Watch this space to see what can now be revealed. Follow-up (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3071160 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:34:49 +0100 3071160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3059755&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F04%2Fmood-swinger-magnet-special-offer-2009%2F Looking for a great holiday gift? Exclusively for the first 35 Psych Central members who want them, we’ve teamed up with Mood Swinger again this holiday season to offer a 50% discount for any Mood Swinger Magnet Set — OFFICE version, HOME version, EVERYDAY version, KIDS version, or ORIGINAL version. The 79-piece Original Mood Swinger Mood Magnet Set, for instance, is fun, functional, and gives you a creative way to express yourself in a humorous way. It’s a unique form of magnetic therapy that gives you the ability to display 72 different moods. I find them a great way to share my mood with others in the household, without having to say a word. Ironic? Perhaps, but it works! To get this special deal, visit the Mood Swinger website, add any set of magnets to your cart, and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3059755 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:45:55 +0100 3059755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3044806&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F30%2Finsecurity-pain-and-depression%2F We often try and highlight the connections between one’s mental health and their physical health complaints, to demonstrate that the two are inseparable. Yet another study has been published to show how our insecurity can even impact something as physical as the feeling of pain. The study of 382 teenagers showed that those who were more insecure had a tendency to amplify the degree they felt pain: We found that adolescents with insecure relationships tend to be more ‘alarmist’ about their pain symptoms; they have a tendency to amplify the degree of threat or severity of their pain. This amplification leads to more intense pain and more severe depressive symptoms. In other words, the more insecure a teen reportedly was, the more intense pain they complained of, often in the form... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3044806 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:22:30 +0100 3044806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023179&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F24%2Fwhats-it-going-to-take-to-make-you-happy%2F Happiness. Ahh, what an enticing word that is. Psychologists call it “subjective well-being” (and even abbreviate it as SWB in their research), but it boils down to the same thing — what makes us more happy? And how can we do more of that special stuff that will lead to greater happiness in our lives? This Emotional Life, a new PBS documentary hopes to help answer that question in three 2-hour shows from January 4 through the 6th, 2010. “Each episode weaves together the compelling personal stories of ordinary people and the latest in brain science research, along with revealing comments from celebrities such as Chevy Chase, Larry David, Elizabeth Gilbert, Alanis Morissette, Katie Couric and Richard Gere.” Sounds like good stuff and we’re happy to help pr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023179 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:44:22 +0100 3023179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3018979&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRiXVruPRDAs%2F The Wall Street Journal reported that Congress likes Fed Chairman Bernanke, but not the institution that he heads. There is growing consensus that the Fed needs to be reformed and restructured.  Most notably, there are calls to strip the Fed of its supervisory authority.  In practice, the new sentiment reflects the failure of the Fed to rein in risk taking by the largest banks. The Fed is pushing back.  One reserve bank president said that removing the Fed’s supervisory authority “would affect our ability to conduct monetary authority effectively.” He went on to say that without the supervisory authority, the Fed wouldn’t know enough about risks brewing in the economy.  This argument is shop worn. The Fed had the authority. It fueled the housing boom with its m... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3018979 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:01:02 +0100 3018979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015387&cid=t_373756_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fneuropathic-pain-from-multiple-sclerosis%2F Multiple sclerosis can hurt! Pain is a real part of life with MS for over half of us. Pain can come in several forms and affect several areas of the body.  The pain I’d like to proffer for our consideration in this post is called neuropathic pain or neuropathy. This is a pain which is caused by a dysfunction of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).  Owing to the fact that we have a disease of the central nervous system (CNS), many of us may not be familiar with the PNS. These are the nerves which connect the limbs and organs to the CNS. While there is not suspected demyelination of the PNS, the stripping and scaring of neurons and axons in the CNS is thought to cause misfiring of signals from the PNS, which then tell the brain that we are feeling pain in an uninjured part of the body. I... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015387 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:11:58 +0100 3015387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2985021&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F12%2Fmassaging_the_data_for_neurontin.php There's a disturbing article out at the New England Journal of Medicine on studies conducted on Neurontin (gabapentin) for various unapproved indications. Parke-Davis (and later Pfizer) looked at a wide range of possible indications for the drug - migraine, neuropathic pain, bipolar disorder, and more. That in itself isn't unusual, since CNS drugs often have rather broad and poorly defined mechanisms, and it's not like we understand any of them all that well. What is unusual is the pattern found when comparing the internal reports with the published versions that showed up in the literature. The authors found that: "More than half the clinical trials that we included in our analysis (11 of 20) were not published as full-length research articles. For 7 of the 9 trials that were published... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2985021 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:13:42 +0100 2985021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984783&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fxa6w9YSpjHE%2F I expected and got some pushback about my post comparing the Berlin Wall to the wall along our southern border. Happily, it was more civil than the reactions I often get when I talk about immigration and free movement of people. One fair comment focused on the key distinction between the Berlin Wall and our border wall: the direction the guards were facing. From the perspective of the state, it’s easy to conceive of border guards facing “in” or “out”—and those facing in suggest much worse than those facing out. But from the perspective of the individual, what matters is whether or not the border guards are facing you. Our border wall keeps Mexicans and Central Americans from freedom and a better life precisely the way the Berlin Wall did East Ge... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984783 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:25:34 +0100 2984783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977270&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F9odL-hGEr5w%2F In a way, I always knew it would happen. I knew that, come November 9, the left-leaning NYT would publish an article focusing on the supposed crisis of capitalism rather than the end of communist dictatorship. Still, I was not prepared for Slavoj Zizek’s op-ed entitled “20 Years of Collapse.” First, a few words about the author — a Marxist philosopher from Slovenia. Generally ignored or ridiculed in Slovenia, Zizek is considered (by some) to be the new messiah of leftist thought in the West. Why did the NYT chose to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the collapse of communism with Zizek’s call for “socialism with a human face,” rather than an op-ed by someone like Vladimir Bukovsky, a former Soviet political prisoner tormented for years by the communists, is anyone... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977270 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:19:31 +0100 2977270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2930959&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwnBLwpHHETs%2F How and when should the Fed unwind the enormous monetary expansion it undertook in response to the financial crisis and recession? The WSJ reports [$]: As the Federal Reserve’s next meeting approaches in early November, an internal debate is brewing about how and when to signal the possibility of interest-rate increases. The Fed has said since March that it will keep rates very low for an “extended period.” Long before it raises rates, however, it will need to change that public signal to financial markets. Because the recovery is so young and is expected to be so weak, many central bank officials are comfortable, for now, keeping rates very low. But they are beginning to strategize about how to walk away from the “extended period” language. My suggestion is t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2930959 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:48:27 +0100 2930959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927364&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fare-the-media-becoming-addicted-to-internet-addiction%2F As Dr. John Grohol has cogently argued, there are many reasons to be skeptical of “Internet Addiction” as a discrete and specific “disorder” or diagnosis. Yet I am impressed, and a bit dismayed, by all the attention this issue seems to garner in the popular media. I don’t intend any disrespect to the reporters and journalists who are trying to cover the topic, several of whom have graciously interviewed me. Some reporters are as skeptical as many of us in the mental health field, and a number have asked pertinent questions as to how real so-called Internet addiction is. I simply wish that devastating illnesses like schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder created such a buzz in the media and in the awareness of the general public. Over the last 30... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927364 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:01:59 +0100 2927364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2912193&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2351 Conclusion I was told by the Univerity of Kingston that “The course is one which the University has validated and continues to be subject to the University’s quality assurance procedures, such as internal subject reviews, annual monitoring and external examining” The only conclusion to be drawn from this is that “quality arrurance procedures” work about as well in universities as they did in the case of baby Peter. No doubt they were introduced with worthy aims. But in practice they occupy vast amounts of time for armies of bureaucrats, and because the brain does not need to be engaged they end up endorsing utter nonsenes. The system is broken. Resistance is futile.  You can see a lot of the stuff here It is hard to keep secrets in the internet age. Thanks ... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2912193 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:15:26 +0100 2912193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865730&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F06%2Fphone-psychotherapy-helps-depression%2F Imagine a treatment that was so powerful and useful, it could even be delivered by the telephone. That treatment? Good old psychotherapy. We’ve previously discussed the benefits of using web-based self-help programs for depression based upon proven cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques. And we’ve noted previous studies that showed the benefits of telephone therapy for depression. But this new 600-person study is the largest to date of psychotherapy by phone — and one of the largest studies of psychotherapy ever. Subjects in the study were randomly assigned to one of three groups — treatment as usual, telephone care management, and telephone care management + psychotherapy. People in the treatment as usual group continued to receive any treatments normally available... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865730 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:53:49 +0100 2865730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2831040&cid=t_373756_46_f&fid=38787&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmsf.ca%2Fblogs%2Fphotos%2F2009%2F09%2F25%2Fcentral-african-republic%2F Photo: Jaume Codina Carnot, Central African Republic – September 2009 South-eastern Central African Republic currently faces a severe nutritional emergency. The crisis in the gold and diamond sector, on which many of the region inhabitants depend, has been the last straw for an already highly vulnerable population. Alerted by the local authorities, the Médecins Sans Frontières teams have opened four feeding centres in one month in Carnot, Boda, Nola and Gandoula and implemented a number of outpatient treatment programmes in the area. (Source: MSF Blogs) MSF Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2831040 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:47:17 +0100 2831040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2790299&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F13%2Ftest-predicts-depression-medication-response%2F Did you know that as much as some doctors and researchers like to think that medicine is a science, it is very much an art too? You can see that no more clearly than in the decision process doctors use to prescribe a specific psychiatric medication. Ask a psychiatrist what their usual depression treatment regimen is, and they’ll usually talk to you about using one or two different antidepressants they are most familiar and comfortable with prescribing — not which medication is best for the patient. Why is that? Wouldn’t you like to prescribe the most effective medication for a particular patient based upon their brain’s chemical structure and likely reaction to it? We sure would, but until recently, we had few ways to determine how a person might react to particular... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2790299 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:35:31 +0100 2790299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786000&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fschering-plough-committed-to-corrupting.html Since my last post about Schering-Plough's campaign to buy off doctors with invitations to join its Speaker's Bureau, a number of my colleagues have reported receiving their own invitations. Strangely, many of them are prominent opponents of industry-funded medical education.For example, Ivan Goldberg, creator of the popular website Depression Central, and an outspoken critic of drug industry manipulation of doctors, received this letter. Check it out, because it's a little different from the one I got. They offered me $170,000 for 125 presentations (of 45 minutes each), while they offered Dr. Goldberg more money ($179,500) for fewer (only 96) presentations. In a phone conversation with Dr. Goldberg, he suggested that the differential was due to the fact that he lives in expensive New York... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786000 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:05:00 +0100 2786000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782073&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F10%2Freflections-on-my-birthday%2F Yesterday, I did my civic duty and served on jury duty. It’s a reluctant responsibility many citizens in the U.S. serve, me among them. As luck would have it, I wasn’t called to actually sit on a jury, so Providence must have been shining on me a bit. An early birthday present, if you will. It also reminded me that living in a country such as the United States is a privilege, one that was earned on the backs and lives of millions of Americans who came before me. I am grateful for the opportunity offered me because of what my great grandparents decided to do — to immigrate to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Because of their courage, I’m here today, doing what I do. On events like my birthday, I get reflective and appreciative. I have a lot to be ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782073 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:53:14 +0100 2782073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709197&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F17%2Fexercising-your-brain-as-you-age%2F According to a news article we published today, simple everyday activities are all we need to keep our minds sharp as we age, mixed in with a healthy dose of daily physical exercise. The study measured over 4,000 participants’ brain and cognitive functioning over a 6 year period to arrive at these results. Boiled down to the basics, the researchers found the following activities help our brains remain sharp as we age: Mental activities, like reading or doing a crossword puzzle Physical exercise, generally the more the better (but even some, such as simply walking for 30 minutes per day, is better than nothing) Remaining socially engage with your friends or family Maintaining a positive attitude throughout life Learning new activities, hobbies or anything that requires concentrat... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709197 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:33:43 +0100 2709197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2726973&cid=t_373756_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FrUQtgvT6FuY%2F Although many viruses are classified into individual families based on a variety of physical and biological criteria, they may also be placed in groups according to the type of genome in the virion. Over 30 years ago virologist David Baltimore devised an alternative classification scheme that takes into account the nature of the viral nucleic acid. One of the most significant advances in virology of the past 30 years has been the understanding of how viral genomes are expressed. Cellular genes are encoded in dsDNA, from which mRNAs are produced to direct the synthesis of protein. Francis Crick conceptualized this flow of information as the central dogma of molecular biology: DNA —> RNA —> protein All viruses must direct the synthesis of mRNA to produce proteins. No viral genome e... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2726973 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:12:08 +0100 2726973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688658&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2043 Conclusion This selection of slides shows that much of the stuff taught in degrees in herbal medicine poses a real danger to public safety and to public health. Pittilo’s idea that imposing this sort of miseducation will help safety is obviously and dangerously wrong. The Department of Health must reject the Pittilo recommendations on those grounds. Follow-up (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688658 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:24:29 +0100 2688658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670815&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2007 Conclusion Recent events show that the halcyon days for alternative medicine are over. When the Pittilo report first appeared, it was greeted with derision in the media. For example, in The Times Alice Miles wrote “This week came the publication of the Report to Ministers from the Department of Health Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK. Otherwise known as twaddle.” In the Independent, Dominic Lawson wrote So now we will have degrees in quackery. What, really, is the difference between acupuncture and psychic surgery? People will no doubt continue to use it and that is their right and their responsibility. But if the government w... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670815 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:45:35 +0100 2670815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649061&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F28%2Fdivorce-hurts-not-only-emotionally-but-also-physically%2F This study suggests another reason to seek out marital or family counseling before getting a divorce, which should be seen for what it is — a choice of very last resort, after other honest attempts have been made to fix the relationship. Divorce hurts everyone, even your children. And this study shows that even after remarrying, for some reason people who had previously divorced still report more health concerns than those who never divorced. Of course divorce is a legitimate option for couples who’ve already tried everything else. Perhaps being aware of all the additional concerns you and your children may be at risk for can help you help ward them off — or at least better recognize them if they do happen. The study also demonstrates yet again the intimate connections b... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649061 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:44:40 +0100 2649061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634390&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1950 Acupuncture has been in the news since, in a moment of madness, NICE gave it some credence, Some people still seem to think that acupuncture is somehow more respectable than, say, homeopathy and crystal healing. If you think that, read Barker Bausell’s book ot Trick or Treatment. It is now absolutely clear that ‘real’ acupuncture is indistinguishable from sham, whether the sham control uses retractable needles, or real needles in the ‘wrong’ places. There has been no clear demonstration of long-lived benefits in any condition, and it is likely that it is no more than a theatrical placebo. In particular, the indistinguishability of ‘real’ and sham acupuncture shows, beyond reasonable doubt that all the stuff about “energy flow in meridians&#8... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634390 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:15:35 +0100 2634390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613838&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fk4KyMt3g-yk%2F More than 250 economists have signed an “Open Letter to Congress and the Executive Branch” calling upon them to “defend the independence of the Federal Reserve System as a foundation of U.S. economic stability.” Allan Meltzer is not a signatory to the petition and he has explained why not.  The Fed has frequently not shown independence in the past, and there is no reason to expect it to do so reliably in the future.  Professor Meltzer has just completed a multi-volume history of the Fed and knows all-too-well of the Fed’s willingness to accommodate the policies of administrations from FDRs to Lyndon Johnson’s.  I would add that the Fed’s behavior under Chairman Bernanke breaks new ground in aligning the central bank’s policy with Treasury’s.  Much of what the Fed has... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613838 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:37:06 +0100 2613838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613856&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1899 Jump to follow-up .The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) is the first place I asked to see teaching materials that were used on its homeopathy “BSc” course. The request was refused, and subsequent internal appeals were refused too, Clearly UCLAN had something to hide. An appeal to the information commissioner took almost two years to be judged, but the case was won. The eventual decision by the Information Commissioner rejected all the grounds that UClan had used to evade the Freedom of Information Act. UClan appealed against the judgement and I still haven’t got the stuff but that hardly matters now, because the course in question shut its doors. In any case, plenty of stuff from similar courses has leaked out already. Meanwhile, in September 2008,... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613856 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:21:41 +0100 2613856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610924&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1899 .The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) is the first place I asked to see teaching materials that were used on its homeopathy “BSc” course. The request was refused, and subsequent internal appeals were refused too, Clearly UCLAN had something to hide. An appeal to the information commissioner took almost two years to be judged, but the case was won. The eventual decision by the Information Commissioner rejected all the grounds that UClan had used to evade the Freedom of Information Act. UClan appealed against the judgement and I still haven’t got the stuff but that hardly matters now, because the course in question shut its doors. In any case, plenty of stuff from similar courses has leaked out already. Meanwhile, in September 2008, UCLAN announced an in... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610924 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:21:41 +0100 2610924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606034&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F15%2Fencephalon-73-with-videos-channel-n%2F Every month, there’s a thing like Grand Rounds (which focuses more on health and medicine blog posts) that highlights some of the most interesting brain and neuropsychology blog posts around the net in the past month. It’s called Encephalon and Psych Central’s own Channel N is hosting Encephalon 73 with Videos. If you’re looking for some interesting reading — or viewing — this month’s Encephalon is worth checking out! Good stuff in there. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606034 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:39:21 +0100 2606034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2507261&cid=t_373756_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fsleep-apnea-abnormal-heart-rhythms-in.html A new study examines the link between sleep apnea and “cardiac arrhythmias” – abnormal heart rhythms.The study involved 2,911 older men. Sleep apnea was measured during an overnight sleep study. Heart monitoring detected two groups of abnormal heart rhythms: atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF), and complex ventricular ectopy (CVE).Results show that the general risk of AF and CVE increased as the severity of sleep apnea increased. The specific risks varied according to the type of sleep apnea that men had.Men with obstructive sleep apnea had a greater risk of CVE but not AF. Men with central sleep apnea were between two and three times more likely to have AF.The NHLBI reports that the atria are the two upper chambers of the heart. They collect blood as it comes into the heart. The ven... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2507261 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100 2507261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510286&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FdRvEBrk9ayA%2F A couple weeks ago, I blogged about the foolishness of press release economics: states “creating” jobs by handing out taxpayer money to select businesses.  I concluded by saying that “journalists should be on the lookout for more press-release economics schemes coming from the states as revenues remain tight and politicians become desperate to demonstrate they’re “doing something.”  Journalists should examine a state’s tax structure when a taxpayer giveaway is announced to see if perhaps the governor is masking economic-unfriendly fiscal policies.” Sure enough, the Pew Center’s Stateline.org has an article up detailing the efforts of state governors dealing with the recession by giving businesses taxpayer money to “create” jobs.  Of cour... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510286 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:18:15 +0100 2510286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511164&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fintroducing-the-psych-central-mood-tracker%2F After taking a look at a few of the mood trackers that have long been available online, I was very unsatisfied with both how they asked you about your mood (”How depressed are you today?”) and the results they displayed (can we say “unhelpful”?). Mood trackers are used to help you track your emotional state on a daily or weekly basis, helping you get a better grasp on your emotions. Mood trackers can also help you determine your treatment’s effectiveness over time. Like a screening quiz for depression or anxiety, you typically can’t just ask a person, “How depressed are you?” and get any kind of answer that you can hang your hat on. People aren’t always the best judge of their own mood states — especially when they are in the down... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511164 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:04:19 +0100 2511164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2458165&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Ffriday-flashback-for-june-5-2009%2F You know summer’s on its way when it starts heating up here in New England, so what better time to flash back to some classic posts from the Psych Central archives? 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Becoming Stuck Online In this classic post, I rant about the world of Internet mental health moving at a glacier’s pace, compared to the world of Internet technologies and services. I also allude to my moving on from the founding of Mental Health Net to take a short-lived position with the doomed Internet startup, drkoop.com. I wrote then, “My goal is to pursue and push others to explore the positive uses and effects of the Internet,” and never has that been more true than today. The Internet has opened so many doors for so many people, I still enjoy talking about all the p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2458165 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:30:04 +0100 2458165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452541&cid=t_373756_97_f&fid=36415&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1606 This article, which was some time in gestation, appeared shortly afte the last degree in homeopathy in the UK closed its doors. So perhaps it should have been called The Return of Reason. What’s interesting is that it has become commonplace for the mainstream newspapers to print articles like this and to dump some of their whackier lifestyle articles. The print version had a much better title too, The Retreat from Reason, with a two-page spread.. They published the entire ‘Patients’ Guide to Magic Medicine‘ as a sidebar on page 4. To these has now been added, inspired by Jack of Kent, Libel: A very expensive remedy, to be used only when you have no evidence. Appeals to alternative practitioners because truth is irrelevant One part of the article that I particular... DC's Improbable Science blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452541 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:18:35 +0100 2452541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452710&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Flearning-to-relax-or-not%2F I’m 40 years old and while I’m not the workaholic of many people I’ve met in my life, I’d say that I do spend a lot more time working than most. Even when you run your own business — in fact, maybe primarily when you run your own small business — you work more than a typical person who works 8 to 5 or 9 to 6 or whatever. The problem with running your own business is that work time and non-work time meld into one. There’s no delineation. And while that’s great for Psych Central, it certainly may not be ideal for my own mental health (not to mention physical health). My troubles pale in comparison to many people’s troubles today, especially in this economy. But I keep thinking back to my times in the countryside of Ireland, of France, and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452710 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:38:05 +0100 2452710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442293&cid=t_373756_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fgoodbye-old-kashgar.php To Protect an Ancient City, China Moves to Raze It. The city is Kashgar, in the far west of China. I have read that Kashgar is the large city furthest from oceans on all directions. It's a typical story of developers wanting to develop. You read articles like this about Beijing all the time (or did, I assume that most of the developing to be done has been done). One issue that I'm curious about though, my understanding is that China (and East Asia in general) has fewer buildings of great antiquity than in the West because so much of the monumental architecture was in wood. This results in ancient cities being viewed as relatively ephemeral, with the elements (especially fire) taking what humans don't eventually tear down and reprocess. So there is very little of the earlier dynasties in th... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442293 Thu, 28 May 2009 03:17:00 +0100 2442293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2436742&cid=t_373756_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fhouse-resolution-raises-awareness-of.html Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., recently introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to raise awareness of sleep apnea. The resolution “encourages all Americans to educate themselves and others about the consequences of sleep apnea and its potential treatments.”What are these consequences? The resolution points out that “untreated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.”The resolution also notes that anyone can suffer from sleep apnea. It “can strike anyone, at any age, at any time, including children.”But the good news is that sleep apnea can be treated. The resolution states that “lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery, and/or breathing devices can successfully treat sleep apnea.” These breathing devices – ... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2436742 Tue, 26 May 2009 15:05:00 +0100 2436742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414745&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fg4eIeyjb6zE%2F In the last week there’ve been deeply worrying developments in Guatemala. Rodrigo Rosenberg, a highly respected Guatemalan lawyer, was killed Sunday outside of his house by unknown gunmen. On Monday, a posthumous video recorded by Rosenberg was released where he blames the country’s president, Alvaro Colom, for his assassination. Constantino Díaz-Durán, former editor of elcato.org, tells the story in a piece appearing in the Daily Beast. Since Monday, thousands of Guatemalans have flocked to the streets demanding Colom’s resignation, but they have been met by an equal number of government supporters who are resorting to violence and intimidation against the protesters. This is the modus operandi of the hard-left in countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, and Ecuador. But ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414745 Fri, 15 May 2009 19:20:37 +0100 2414745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405414&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fextended-periods-of-sunlight-might-act-as-suicide-trigger%2F Midweek Mental Greening People often associate becoming depressed during dark winter months with Seasonal Affective Disorder (or, SAD). SAD can actually affect people during any season, including the bright and sunny days during spring and summer months; however, according to a recent Swedish study, regardless of the similar symptoms, SAD doesn’t seem to be the culprit when it comes to the high number of suicides happening in places that experience extended sunlight like Sweden and Greenland. The researchers speculated that light-generated imbalances in serotonin — the brain chemical linked to mood — may lead to increased impulsiveness that in combination with a lack of sleep drives people to kill themselves. “We found that suicides were almost exclusively violent and incre... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405414 Wed, 13 May 2009 17:54:56 +0100 2405414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365125&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F24%2Fmarriage-emphasizes-commitment%2F A new research article that we published today sheds some light on why and how relationships change after two people go from being in a relationship to being in a marriage. Both types of relationships value the belief that your partner is there to help you grow into that person that you aspire to be. The belief that your partner helps you to better live up to your commitments and responsibilities was only found in more satisfied marriages, however. This belief wasn’t found as important in non-marital relationships (which is not surprising, since marriage is the epitome of a commitment one can make to another person). The research also found that for dating couples, the relationship itself tends to revolve around whether things are moving forward: Happiness with a partner depends on w... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365125 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:47:25 +0100 2365125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365129&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Ftv-relieves-loneliness%2F In a study that should surprise no one, new research suggests that a person can increase their feelings of belongingness — the sense of being in a social situation — by simply watching television. TV can act as a social surrogate for actual human contact, making us feel like we have a social relationship with the TV characters. It may not be real social relationship, but it appears that may not really matter in terms of its relief of feelings of social isolation and rejection. And if television can be shown to do this, it’s not a huge leap to imagine the value of the Internet in also relieving social isolation. In fact, some research has already been published that shows just that (see previous link). Is any of this a “good” thing? Well, it depends on how you... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365129 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:13:43 +0100 2365129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349568&cid=t_373756_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FfUV9vjZinpI%2F Yesterday, we were in New York, and a copy of the Times arrived with the morning coffee. On the front page was an article about the following… National Security — The Torture Memos: In response to a longstanding American Civil Liberties Union Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, the Obama administration yesterday released four Bush-era legal memos dating back to 2002 and 2005 that provide legal justifications for the CIA to torture al-Qaeda detainees. The chart that was included with the article was both mind-numbing, and strewn with bits of unintentional absurdity. I mean, what about Medical and psychological personnel are physically present or otherwise observing whenever this technique is applied (as they are with any interrogation technique involving physical contact with th... white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349568 Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:09:17 +0100 2349568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414824&cid=t_373756_97_f&fid=36415&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1364 On 24 July 2006, I sent a request to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), under the Freedom of Information Act  (2000)   I asked to see the teaching materials that were used on their BSc Homeopathy course.  The request was refused, citing the exemption under section 43(2) of the Act (Commercial Interests).  Two internal reviews were then held. These reviews upheld and the original refusal on the grounds of commercial interests, Section 43(3), and additionally claimed exemption under Section 21 “that is reasonably accessible to applicants by other means (upon the payment of a fee)….i.e. by enrolling on the course….” In 21 October 2006 I appealed to the Office of the Information commisioner. (The”public authority” means... DC's Improbable Science blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414824 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:04:15 +0100 2414824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348073&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1364 On 24 July 2006, I sent a request to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), under the Freedom of Information Act  (2000)   I asked to see the teaching materials that were used on their BSc Homeopathy course.  The request was refused, citing the exemption under section 43(2) of the Act (Commercial Interests).  Two internal reviews [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348073 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:04:15 +0100 2348073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300967&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F30%2Flillys_latest_loses_this_time.php Over the years of this blog, I’ve occasionally made comments about how no one really knows much about how drugs for the major central nervous system diseases work. Well, actually, I’ve stated things more forcefully than that, but you get the idea. And although many people who work in the area have written in to say that they agree, I’ve had questions from people completely outside it (journalists and others) about whether I’m serious when I say these things. Oh, I am. For the latest piece of evidence, see what’s just happened to LY2140023, Eli Lilly’s new drug candidate for schizophrenia. The company was running a three-armed Phase II trial: placebo vs. their existing drug Zyprexa vs. the new one, which is a metabotropic glutamate ligand. And what happens? The placebo group pe... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300967 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:31:57 +0100 2300967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284192&cid=t_373756_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fat-our-bodies-our-blog-public-and-open-access%2F At Our Bodies Our Blog, I have a bit about NIH’s public access policy, info on open access, and links to open access journals in BioMed Central that may be of interest to readers. Posted in Access, Rights, & Choice, Libraryland, Web Resources (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284192 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:58:09 +0100 2284192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2276484&cid=t_373756_134_f&fid=36052&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wandalust.com%2F50226711%2Ftop_10_caribbean_beaches_according_to_aquaterrasky.php The travel blog AquaTerraSky published a list recently of their top 10 beaches in the Caribbean. Sitting here in March with bits of snow still melting around my home and freezing rain in the forecas... (Source: Daily Diabetic) Daily Diabetic blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2276484 Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:59:22 +0100 2276484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2266685&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ffriday-flashback-for-march-13-2009%2F Well, one day last week it was 60 degrees here in New England, and then a few days later it’s snowing. It must be March. And if it’s Friday, it must be time for another Friday Flashback while I’m attending the annual SXSW conference in Austin, Texas. Yes, I’ll eat some BBQ for you. 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Detecting Deception A decade ago, I wrote about the research to-date that demonstrated how lousy human beings are in detecting deception in others — to catch another person in a lie. “The conclusions from this research are obvious — trained professionals and untrained laypeople, in general, cannot tell when a person is lying.” A decade later, our ability to detect deception has increased slightly and 4 years ago, we noted Paul Ekma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2266685 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:50:09 +0100 2266685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2263811&cid=t_373756_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPi4JP-c-FNU%2F Back in 2007, presidential candidate Ron Paul generated a lot of talk, especially among libertarians, about monetary policy, the Federal Reserve, and the gold standard. As a longtime believer in sound money, I was surprised to discover how many smart young libertarians thought that talk of the gold standard was nutty. And perhaps more surprised to discover that they thought it was unnecessary now that the problem of central banking had been solved. As two of them wrote when I asked about their objections, “The gold standard is the solution to no actual problem that is of concern to anyone. I think it’s a mistake to take a relatively professional and independent central bank for granted, but we have one. Inflation is low and predictable. The monetary climate is stable and amenab... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2263811 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:29:33 +0100 2263811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222286&cid=t_373756_86_f&fid=34461&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigicmb.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmycroft-project-plugins-opensearch.html Sometimes I forget that the Compose editor of Blogger is really cool for simpy copy&paste stuff from webpages. I have often used it to have a peek into the source code of all kinds of embedded multimedia in websites. But now I want to share some new OpenSearch plugins I created via the MyCroft Project. You can see the (still small) list of my plugins, but I also just paste the list here, and see how it looks! Mycroft uses a script to hide the direct access to the plugin. So you will have to fill in the number of the plugin (via Mouseover!) in the search option to see the actual script. Education - Journals BioMed Central (Groningen Proxy) (proxy-ub.rug.nl) by Digicmb [Review] Education - Universities Institutional Repository University of Groningen (ir.ub.rug.nl) by Digicmb [Rev... DigiCMB blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222286 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:09:00 +0100 2222286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414828&cid=t_373756_97_f&fid=36415&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1191 BSc courses in homeopathy are closing. Is it a victory for campaigners, or just the end of the Blair/Bush era? The Guardian carries a nice article by Anthea Lipsett, The Opposite of Science (or download pdf of print version). Dr Peter Davies, dean of Westminster’s school of integrated health, says “he welcomes the debate but it isn’t as open as he would like.” Well you can say that again. The University of Westminster has refused to send me anything much, and has used flimsy excuses to avoid complying with the Freedom of Information Act. Nevertheless a great deal has leaked out. Not just amethysts emit hig Yin energy, but a whole lot more (watch this space). Given what is already in the public, arena, how can they possibly say things like this? “Those t... DC's Improbable Science blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414828 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:27:51 +0100 2414828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2211700&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D1191 BSc courses in homeopathy are closing. Is it a victory for campaigners, or just the end of the Blair/Bush era? The Guardian carries a nice article by Anthea Lipsett, The Opposite of Science (or download pdf of print version). Dr Peter Davies, dean of Westminster’s school of integrated health, says “he welcomes [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2211700 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:27:51 +0100 2211700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2191609&cid=t_373756_165_f&fid=36770&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetaot.com%2Fblog%2Fcontrol-movement 0. Introduction: My problem-based learning objective for this week is to summarize how voluntary movement is controlled. Unfortunately, voluntary movement depends on the integration of several non-voluntary mechanisms so the material I had to cover seemed pretty complex to me. I thought I might as well share my work here instead of wasting it, but I am no neuro-physiologist so please do not expect any rocket science. 1. Sensation: In order to move in a controlled manner it is first necessary to be aware of one’s position is space. There are various sensory mechanisms in pace for this. 1.1. Vision: the importance of vision for position awareness only becomes clear in the absence of visual and tactile cues. Examples of this are being deep under water (divers are trained to blow and follo... meta-ot blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2191609 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:04:49 +0100 2191609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2178067&cid=t_373756_123_f&fid=37052&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fv%2FVeZ5l21J7Lg%26amp%3Bhl%3Den%26amp%3Bfs%3D1 Unbound Medicine has recently released their first ever ‘bundle-package’ app for the iPhone and iPod Touch, The Nursing Central. Have a look here, you can click on the full screen button for better view: You can see that there are so many features and resources packaged in one outstanding iPhone App. This is the first ‘Central’ packages to be released in App Store. One of the most important features noticed is the wireless update where tapping on the right upper reciprocal update arrows takes us into the most recent database update of the app. These updates are not a joke, they are real and for example they just recently updated Tabers into their latest 21st edition as it was showing before the previous 20th edition and also just recently they added the Handbook of... The Pediatric PDA Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2178067 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:21:10 +0100 2178067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167562&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F06%2Ffriday-flashback-for-february-6-2009%2F In case you missed it, we launched two new features on Psych Central since our last Flashback — our weekly podcast and a new blog entitled Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. But if you prefer the old over the new, then read on… 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Detecting Deception: A quick review of the psychological research A decade ago, we did a quick lit search on psychologists’ ability to detect deception in others, and this issue has come up as one of the cornerstones of anti-terrorism efforts at airports in the U.S. since then. A great special issue of Criminal Justice and Behavior in October 2008 (Snook, 2008) noted that “hypnotic interviewing, polygraph examination, criminal profiling, critical incident stress debriefing, and detecting of deception solely on the ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167562 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:55:01 +0100 2167562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144897&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D984 This letter appeared in the Times on Friday 30 January, 2009. It was prompted by the news from the University of Salford, but its main purpose was to try to point out to the Department of Health that you can’t hope to regulate alternative treatments in any sensible way while continuing to push under [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144897 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:24:14 +0100 2144897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2134697&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F26%2Fpsych-central-weekly-2-is-up%2F Our new experiment in podcasting is now in its second week, so I’m pleased to announce episode #2: On this week’s show, mathematical models for mating, why violent video games may not be as bad as you think, and from our blogs, 6 green ideas for beating the winter blah’s, and resources for dealing with stalkers, celebrity or not. And finally, an interview with Dr. John Grohol, founder of Psych Central. Psych Central Weekly is available for your audio pleasure first thing every Monday morning. It reviews the past week’s news stories and blog entries from Psych Central, for your listening pleasure on the way to work or school. It also will usually include an interview or special feature. Please leave your comments and feedback on the episode over on the Psych Central Week... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2134697 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:49:59 +0100 2134697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2097936&cid=t_373756_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FiwQPMH6okcI%2F There is no doubt that obesity is primarily caused by poor eating habits and inactive lifestyle. But a meta-analysis of several obesity studies found that six new obesity genes are expressed in the brain. Scientists from the international GIANT (Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Parameters) consortium analyzed data from 15 genome-wide association studies and identified six new candidate genes that were related to regulation of body weight. Several of these new genes are highly expressed or known to act in the brain, emphasizing the role of the central nervous system in predisposition to obesity. UPDATE: Endurance Geek made me rethink my title with obesity being “all in the mind”. Instead of changing the post title (or maybe I should? I DID) I thought I would add to my p... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2097936 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:53:04 +0100 2097936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073997&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F02%2Ffriday-flashback-for-january-2-2009%2F This seems like a good Friday to take a look back, as people recover from their New Year’s celebrations (including us!) and as many of us look forward to what 2009 has in store for us (we’re wishing for an improved economy, for one!). 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Enjoying the Moment: It’s Harder Than It Seems I’ve always been fascinated by the passage of time, and how our perceptions make something that is unchanging seem dynamic and fluid. Sometimes in our life, we feel like time is flying by. Other times, it appears to crawl to a halt, with each second passing seeming like hours. A decade ago, I wrote about this phenomenon and how when we’re younger, we don’t much notice time. But as we age, it seems to take on a larger-than-life meaning. 5 Year... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073997 Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:14:52 +0100 2073997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073998&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F01%2Fhappy-new-year-2009%2F In many ways, we’re sad to see 2008 go. We passed some great milestones during the year here at Psych Central, including topping 80,000 members in our collective communities and reaching more people through our website than in any previous year. We started our first two new blogs — Bipolar Beat and Celebrity Psychings — which have both already been great successes. As much as I’m sad to see the year go, I’m excited for the possibilities that 2009 brings. We’ll be rolling out a few more new blogs in 2009, carefully finding insightful and interesting writers who understand how to really tackle mental health topics head-on in a positive manner. We’ll be integrating more of our services and working to make things simpler and easier to access. We&#821... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073998 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:44:05 +0100 2073998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021724&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F08%2Fenhancing_the_brain_here_we_go.php Depending on what news sources you follow, you may have heard a lot about it already: taking cognition-enhancing drugs to improve normal brain function. An editorial in Nature has just come out in favor of it, so although I wrote about this back in April, it’s time to talk over the issue again. Let's define what we're talking about first. We really don’t have anything to selectively affect memory or general intelligence per se, but we do know something about how to affect attention span and wakefulness. So right now, cognition enhancement is mostly going to be found via the stimulants used for attention-deficit disorders, along with Cephalon’s Provigil (modafinil) for narcolepsy. These are the drugs of issue. Nature started off this latest debate on this a few months ago, when they... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021724 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:28:53 +0100 2021724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021626&cid=t_373756_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2FsmcOnmlhbuU%2F As we try to learn more about Alzheimer’s, especially if we’re caring for a family member or a resident in a nursing home, we’re appreciative of books and online resources that can help us understand this memory (actually lack of) condition better.  When Mother and Auntie became ill with Alzheimer’s, I had mainly books to turn to.  The Internet wasn’t well advanced with information and support groups for us. So, in order to assist my readers in a better understanding, I try to find resources for them. Psych Central, which offers information about numerous illnesses, provides many articles about Alzheimer’s for the family caregiver and professional.  You’ll find Alzheimer’s explained, caregiver’s guides, overview of the disease, and ... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021626 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:30:38 +0100 2021626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996275&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F27%2Fhappy-thanksgiving-3%2F Here in the U.S., we’re celebrating Thanksgiving, a time to remember and give thanks for those people in our lives that matter most — our friends, family and those who’ve helped us along the way. So it seems like a good time, as I’ve done in years past, to thank you, our readers, for helping make Psych Central the great independent mental health resource it is today. Because without you, there wouldn’t be much point in writing and publishing every day to bring you new insights and perspectives on mental health and psychology. Our members make our site a special and safe place to get support for a mental health issue (or neurological concern). On behalf of the volunteers, the staff, writers, editors, moderators, and administrators here at Psych Central, I w... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996275 Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:46:04 +0100 1996275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1964331&cid=t_373756_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F454055116%2F In case you missed the latest sardonic insights from Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA, the other night he offered some important medicinal tips on women’s health and cholesterol that were sponsored by Prescott Pharmaceuticals. (Doctor of Fine Arts sounds like a legitimate qualification to be discussing your health, does it not?) Colbert, who crushes statins on his bacon-chili-cheese corn dogs, tells us the Jupiter trial for AstraZeneca’s Crestor “is a great breakthrough in the battle to find things to prescribe to people who don’t need them…True, the drug costs $100 a month, but that is a small price to pay to not have the heart attack that there’s no way of knowing that you would have had.” Still worried? Take VaxaCrest, which eliminates your concerns about taki... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1964331 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:59:11 +0100 1964331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876474&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F15%2Fwhere_are_the_drugs.php A recent correspondence on the topic of “Why aren’t there more drugs for the big CNS disorders” got me thinking about the topic. My take, having worked in the field, is that there is still so much unmet need in that area because we just don’t understand what's going on. It’s hard to come up with disease-altering therapies when you don’t really understand a single disease in the whole field. Does amyloid cause Alzheimer’s, or does Alzheimer’s give you amyloid, or is amyloid just a sideshow? What sets off the chain of events that ends up killing off cells in the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s? What are the detailed molecular mechanisms of depression, or schizophrenia? Why don’t neurons remyelinate in multiple sclerosis? We don’t know. We know a lot more than we used t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876474 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:36:36 +0100 1876474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829589&cid=t_373756_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fnothing-but-nets-%25e2%2580%2593-an-affordable-effective-medical-charity%2F The other night, I was watching “The Colbert Report,” which, along with “The Daily Show,” is a regular TV staple at our house (both shows won Emmy’s the other night by the way), when the guest was Rick Riley, a sportswriter and founder of the anti-malaria effort Nothing But Nets. Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer, especially of children, in Africa. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are primarily active at night and which can be effectively thwarted by the use of sleeping nets. The charity’s name is a play on the basketball term for a perfect shot that does not touch the backboard or rim, hitting “nothing but net.” In addition, it speaks to the focus of the campaign, which is directed... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829589 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:45:23 +0100 1829589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1779674&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F09%2Fantipsychotics_do_they_work_for_a_completely_different_reason.php As I’ve noted here, and many others have elsewhere, we have very little idea how many important central nervous system drugs actually work. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiseizure medications for epilepsy – the real workings of these drugs are quite obscure. The standard explanation for this state of things is that the human brain is extremely complicated and difficult to study, and that’s absolutely right. But there’s an interesting paper on antipsychotics that’s just come out from a group at Duke, suggesting that there’s an important common mechanism that has been missed up until now. One thing that everyone can agree on is that dopamine receptors are important in this area. Which ones, and how they should be affected (agonist, antagonist, inverse partial what-have-you)... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1779674 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:35:04 +0100 1779674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1760355&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D252 After the announcement that the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan) was suspending its homeopathy “BSc” course, it seems that their vice chancellor has listened to the pressure, both internal and external, to stop bringing his university into disrepute. An internal review of all their courses in alternative medicine was announced shortly after the course  closure.   Congratulations [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1760355 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:07:16 +0100 1760355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764448&cid=t_373756_97_f&fid=36415&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D252 After the announcement that the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan) was suspending its homeopathy “BSc” course, it seems that their vice chancellor has listened to the pressure, both internal and external, to stop bringing his university into disrepute. An internal review of all their courses in alternative medicine was announced shortly after the course  closure.   Congratulations [...] (Source: DC's Improbable Science) DC's Improbable Science blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764448 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:20:14 +0100 1764448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739650&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D251 The Times today has done a good job on giving publicity to the case against following the advice of the Pittilo report. It simply makes no sense to have government regulation of acupuncture, herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine until such time as there is evidence that they work. It makes even less [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739650 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:04:15 +0100 1739650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734446&cid=t_373756_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D249 Jump to follow-up The first major victory in the battle for the integrity of universities seems to have been won. This email was sent by Kate Chatfield who is module leader for the “BSc” in homeopathic medicine at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). from Kate Chatfield… Dear All, It’s a sad day for us here at UCLan [...] (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734446 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:20:16 +0100 1734446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664238&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F349593207%2F After consulting with Gareth and with his cooperation and blessing, I’m pleased to announce that we will keep PsychSplash alive moving forward, under the umbrella of the Psych Central Network. Our resource editor and myself will continue to scour the web looking for the best in psychology and post new offerings here on a regular basis (just as Gareth did for years). We’re hoping you continue to follow us here, and if you have any suggestions for good psychology websites you believe should be included here, please contact us. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664238 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:42:49 +0100 1664238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664624&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F29%2Filoperidone_a_schizophrenia_drug_goes_down_for_the_last_time.php I've talked about a lot of difficult therapeutic areas, but here's another boulevard of broken dreams: schizophrenia drugs. I was working on follow-ups to a promising clincial candidate, which has since been promising a number of times without ever delivering. It certainly missed its endpoints in schizophrenia by a mile in Phase II. That was actually my introduction to the drug industry back in 1989 - I followed that up with several years working on Alzheimer's, another notorious graveyard of good ideas, which makes me wonder why I didn't just quit at some point and open that chain of all-you-can-eat catfish restaurants that the Northeast so desperately needs. Of course, once in a while a drug for dementia actually works a bit, and since there's a huge underserved market out there, it's a... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664624 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:39:09 +0100 1664624 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655429&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F25%2Ffriday-flashback-for-july-25-2008%2F I’m off to Dayton, Ohio this weekend to help a friend celebrate getting older (isn’t it amazing the things we humans celebrate?), so I leave you with this flashback for today. 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Fee-for-service Self-Help Sites Ten years ago this summer, I wrote about a questionable new trend at the time of a growing number of mental health self-help websites which began appearing that charged users access to their services. Keep in mind, this was during the heydays of the dot.com boom, meaning that all you needed was an idea and a website and investors would hand over fistfuls of cash. This was a horrible business idea in 1998, and remains so today. People generally don’t pay for subscription services online, with a few notable exceptions (online dating and d... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655429 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:06:08 +0100 1655429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1581867&cid=t_373756_115_f&fid=34670&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsumerdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fcentral-pontine-myelinolysis.html This is 19-month old girl with severe diahorrhea, MRI brain showing altered signal intensity in the central pons. Rarely reported in this age group but can be central pontine myelinolysis.Dr.Sumer K Sethi, MDConsultant Radiologist ,VIMHANS and CEO-Teleradiology Providers Editor-in-chief, The Internet Journal of Radiology Director, DAMS (Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences From Sumer's Radiology Site http://www.sumerdoc.blogspot.com -The Top Radiology Magazine (Source: Sumer's Radiology Site) Sumer's Radiology Site blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1581867 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:38:00 +0100 1581867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522531&cid=t_373756_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fcaregivers-memories-video-in-memory-of.html My father, Jack H. Terry, Sr., passed away 13 years ago from a stroke, but on Father's Day I do something special in his memory and this year I made a video of scenes at the ocean. He always loved water and boats - lakes, rivers, oceans. He would have loved the sandcastles, kites and other scenes in this video made at the Pismo Beach Pier, San Luis Obispo County, California. When I am near the ocean I remember the wonderful times we spent together at lakes or beaches. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522531 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:51:00 +0100 1522531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1466317&cid=t_373756_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Flife-line-screening-to-prevent-strokes.html Caregivers can get information about Life Line Screening to prevent strokes in the following video. The screening involves 4 tests which are painless and noninvasive. Screening locations are available at Life Line Screening. In my area Life Line Screening is coming to the local Central Coast Seniors Center on July 8, 2008, and the cost is $129. In addition to stroke prevention the screening also tests for osteoporosis. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1466317 Sat, 24 May 2008 15:08:00 +0100 1466317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1466027&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F24%2Fadhd-and-food-additives%2F Last week, we noted the BMJ published an editorial about a possible link between certain food colorings and a common preservative, and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). The author referred readers to a single study published late last year that showed — in children without ADHD — that there was a correlation between drinking certain experimental liquid concoctions and hyperactive behavior in some of the children studied. I’m not sure why the BMJ published this editorial nearly 8 months after the study was published, an editorial that seemingly adds little new information or insight to the debate. Other than to note that most doctors don’t think about asking their young patients to limit intake of food or drink that have these specific food colorings or preservati... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1466027 Sat, 24 May 2008 14:04:14 +0100 1466027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1442674&cid=t_373756_115_f&fid=34670&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsumerdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fpneumothorax-after-central-line.html Pneumothorax (for central lines placed in the chest) is a known complication of Central line placement and doctors routinely order a chest X-ray (CXR) after insertion of a subclavian or internal jugular line. The incidence is thought to be higher with subclavian vein catheterization. For experienced clinicians, the incidence of pneumothorax is about 1%. Note the abnormally placed central line extending upwards from subclavian vein into internal jugular vein along with pneumothorax.Dr.Sumer K Sethi, MDConsultant Radiologist ,VIMHANS and CEO-Teleradiology Providers Editor-in-chief, The Internet Journal of Radiology Director, DAMS (Delhi Academy of Medical SciencesFrom Sumer's Radiology Site http://www.sumerdoc.blogspot.com -The Top Radiology Magazine (Source: Sumer's Radiology Site) Sumer's Radiology Site blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1442674 Thu, 15 May 2008 09:25:00 +0100 1442674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523010&cid=t_373756_97_f&fid=34618&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmHouse%2F%7E3%2FxNyeJCkfZWs%2Flocal-central-lab-model-clinical-trials.html To overcome the problem with biologic sample logistics in multicentric clinical trials, a new model of 'local central lab' is coming up.The local lab will conduct the trial in its region. In addition to the sample analysis, it will support the clinical sites and take care of the inbound and outbound samples and kit logistics. The data will be transferred to the global data manager according to the global central lab's specificationsThe recent issue of 'Applied Clinical Trials' has an article on this upcoming model. (Source: Pharm House) Pharm House blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523010 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:21:00 +0100 2523010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1354188&cid=t_373756_132_f&fid=35624&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuicyte.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F04%2F06%2Frandom-stuff-april-08%2F Here are just two interesting stories I read on other peoples blogs: First, Jake Young at Pure Pedantry blogs about a recent Cell paper by Sakaue-Sawano et al. who present a clever application of protein ubiquitination for visualizing the cell cycle stage of cells in vivo. Lars Juhl Jensen at Buried Treasure has also picked up this story, and those two blogs provide a lot of detail on the method, including a link to a nice video showing HeLa cells passing through 3 cell cycles. In brief, the authors of this paper exploit the fact that several protein ubiquitination systems are only active during particular phases of the cell cycle. On one hand, there is the APC/Cyclosome system, which degrades target proteins only in late mitosis (APC means Anaphase Promoting Complex) and in G1 phase. Conv... Suicyte Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1354188 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:32:01 +0100 1354188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1347319&cid=t_373756_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F4%2F3%2Fpot-bellies-of-the-worldbeware.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D So you don’t exercise. And you like your six pack. And you have a bit of a pot belly. But you are not overweight. In fact, your BMI is in the normal range. Do you feel pretty smug? Read on, and I think you’ll get shaken up a bit, as you should. Central Obesity The correlation between obesity and diabetes and heart disease is well known. In fact, we now know that people should be concerned not only about body fat, but importantly: where this fat is located. Waistline fat is a major risk factor of diabetes and heart disease, deceptively cute names like “love handles” not withstanding. But did you know that being a Michelin Man may end up in dementia? The Kaiser study I certainly did not suspect it. And I dare say,I don’t know anybod... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347319 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:57:44 +0100 1347319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1307939&cid=t_373756_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fmultiple-sclerosis%2Flife-with-ms%2Fpaging-dr-katz-please-report-to-healthtalks-ms-webcast%2F I have to admit my surprise to you. A few weeks ago, while hosting our last HealthTalk MS Webcast, I nearly fell from my chair in the broadcast booth. I suspect you can all understand the amount of work, by several dedicated people, that goes into one of these programs. I may be the voice you hear, but there are engineers, producers, doctors, lawyers, transcriptionists that all make one of these webcasts happen; the list is pretty phenomenal. As example, the script I write for my portion of the show has to be completed two weeks in advance so it can be reviewed by a slew of professionals. Don’t worry; I’m getting to the surprise… At the time I submitted my script for last month’s program, our “celebrity guest” with MS was not yet nailed down. I just left a place marker in that ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1307939 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:05:22 +0100 1307939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1300304&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F03%2F13%2Fdo-we-need-a-lab-test-for-depression%2F Researchers continue to pursue a biological laboratory test for some of the most common and serious mental disorders, as they’ve been doing now for over a decade. I think it’s always infinitely harder to test for something when you don’t really understand the basis of how it actually works in our brains: Despite decades of research, the biological basis of depression is unknown, and the molecular and cellular targets of antidepressant treatment remain elusive, although it is likely that these drugs have one or more primary targets. What’s the latest research saying? In their study, Rasenick and colleagues compared brain samples from depressed people who had committed suicide with controls who had no history of psychiatric disorders. They found that while the t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1300304 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:52:01 +0100 1300304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1296185&cid=t_373756_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fspiritofcaringcom-plans-fundraisers-for.html At SpiritsofCaring.com you can read about the caring people who are raising money to make a difference for Hospice Partners of San Luis Obispo, the Women's Shelter of San Luis Obispo, and the Central Coast Seniors Center. Spirits of Caring is a component of the Center for Creative Thought, located at the Central Coast Seniors Center.The two part fundraiser will include the following.1. Saturday, August 2, 2008 there will be a Tri Tip BBQ, a Creative Auction, Entertainment and Live Music and Door Prizes at the Central Coast Seniors Center.2. Saturday Nov. 15, 2008, there will be a Raffle, Live Music, and a salad luncheon, also at the Central Coast Seniors Center. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1296185 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:36:00 +0100 1296185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1289804&cid=t_373756_10_f&fid=35345&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gideononline.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F03%2F09%2Foutbreaks-of-hepatitis-e-in-sub-saharan-africa-are-rarely-reported%2F As reported in ProMED: Notwithstanding the recent episode in Uganda [see: ProMED-mail post Hepatitis E virus - Uganda 20080304.0894], outbreaks of hepatitis E in Sub-Saharan Africa are rarely reported. The following summary was abstracted from GIDEON. Botswana 1985 - An outbreak (245 cases) in Maun was ascribed to possible water contamination. Central African Republic 2002 - An outbreak (48 confirmed cases) in Bangui may have been caused by contaminated drinking water. 2004 - An outbreak (10 cases) in Bangui was caused by contaminated water sold by a street vendor. Chad 2004 - An outbreak (1442 cases, 46 fatal) was reported in Goz Amer and Goz Beida - Sudanese refugee camps. 2005 - An outbreak (50 or more fatal cases) was reported in the area of Goz Beida (eastern Chad). (more…) Sha... GIDEON blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1289804 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:20:19 +0100 1289804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268380&cid=t_373756_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F29%2Ffriday-flashback-for-february-29-2008%2F While I’m down in Texas enjoying some sunshine and the ranch life, I’m happy to present to you some of the golden oldies from Psych Central’s archives. Have a great weekend! 10 Years Ago on Psych Central The Birth of a New Society: The International Society for Mental Health Online Ten years ago this March marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of this Society, dedicated to mental health online (contrary to the organization’s website, it actually remains open to anyone interested in online mental health, not just professionals). As one of the founders and its first president, it still holds a warm place in my heart as an organization dedicated to the exploration and discussion of mental health online. 5 Years Ago on Psych Central Borderline personality di... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268380 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:42:45 +0100 1268380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1265531&cid=t_373756_107_f&fid=36585&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FHighlightHEALTH%2F%7E3%2F242820657%2F This article was published on Highlight HEALTH. Related articlesBill in Senate to Expand Public Access to Taxpayer-funded Research ScienceCures: Today’s Science, Tomorrow’s CuresElsevier’s Approaches to Public Access of Biomedical and Cancer ResearchHEALTH Highlights - January 14, 2008HEALTH Highlights - June 26th, 2007 (Source: Highlight HEALTH) Highlight HEALTH blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1265531 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:07:05 +0100 1265531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1261806&cid=t_373756_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F27%2Fantidepressants_depressing_news_or_not.php There’s an interesting analysis in the latest PLoS Medicine on the clinical effectiveness of four modern antidepressant drugs: Prozac (fluoxetine), Effexor (venlafaxine), the partially discontinued Serzone (nefazodone), and Paxil (paroxetine). The authors compared all the published placebo-controlled studies on these drugs, and further included all the regulatory filing data. (Update: not so! See below). The result made headlines all over the place yesterday, because one of the things they found was that these drugs hardly seem, compared to placebo, to do anything at all. Here’s the odd part: that shouldn’t have been such a big surprise. It wasn’t surprising to the authors of the paper – in fact, they started with the belief that this would be the case, because that analysis has... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1261806 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:27:15 +0100 1261806