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 'definition'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:00:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847925&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008091.html Writing for Discover's "Science Not Fiction" blog Kyle Munkittrick reviews films made by Pixar and finds a hidden message in Pixar films about the need to respect and accept non-human intelligences. I see this message as more likely to do us a disservice than to make our future brighter. The new is seen as dangerous and therefore feared. Pixar’s Human as Partner films emphasize that should a non-human intelligence arise, be it a rat or a robot or a monstrous alien, there will be no welcoming with arms wide open from either side. Victory in the battle for the rights and respect from both groups will come from an act of exemplary personhood and humaneness by those who dare to... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847925 Thu, 19 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4847925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841735&cid=t_103248_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FJXoGd4HSVHM%2F What is brain fitness really? What will happen in terms of brain fitness innovation in the next decade? What’s the biggest challenge? Who could answer these questions better than the expert SharpBrains 2011 Summit speakers? Discover below the answers of 7 of them. .1. How would you define “brain fit­ness” vs. “phys­i­cal fit­ness”? Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Har­vard Med­ical School: Phys­i­cal fit­ness can refer to an over­all or gen­eral state of health and well-being. How­ever, it is also often used more specif­i­cally to refer to the abil­ity to per­form a given activ­ity, occu­pa­tion, or sport. Sim­i­larly brain fit­ness might be used to refer to a gen­eral state of healthy, opti­mized brain func­tion, or a more spe­cific brain-based abil­ity to proce... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841735 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:55:56 +0100 4841735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723774&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Ftwilight-of.html Neurologic disorders, alas, are not going away. The concept of "schizophrenia", however, is shuffling off the stage.Today's obit comes from Kwang-Soo Kim, a stem-cell scientist at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts:  "These disorders are not really disorders. There's no such thing as schizophrenia. It's a syndrome. It's a collection of things psychiatrists have grouped together."[1]Just like autism. Autism is a collection of "things" psychiatrists have grouped together, sustained by law, regulation, tradition -- and the current lack of a better alternative.[1] Schizophrenia 'in a Dish': Scientific American 4/13/2011See also:Victory: The war against 20th century psychiatric diagnoses is all but won (Source: Be the Best You can Be) Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723774 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:33:00 +0100 4723774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4498292&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F19%2Fthink-like-a-skeptic%2F In 2009, I was a presenter at the JP Fitness Summit in Kansas City. The summit featured some of the top names in the fitness industry. Topics included any and everything fitness and nutrition related. My presentation addressed a topic that was foreign to many in attendance, “Thinking Skeptically: How to apply skepticism to the fitness industry?” Some of the participants seemed to have a hard time with this line of thought. Skepticism is rarely if ever mentioned in the popular fitness literature. The basic premise is this: learning to question and look for evidence could save fitness enthusiasts a great deal of time, money, and embarrassment. Key points from the lecture The fitness skeptic (“skeptic” is derived from the Greek skeptikos, which means “inquiring&#... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4498292 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:49:44 +0100 4498292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495250&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F18%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-february-18-2011%2F This article looks at the big D (as in denial), when it can be good for us and when it can be hazardous to our health. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495250 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:09:02 +0100 4495250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472941&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007902.html A view which I see as completely wrong: The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET) is committed to the idea that some non-human animals meet the criteria of legal personhood and thus are deserving of specific rights and protections. My take: That someone could say the above in all seriousness stems from impractical and romantic notions about where rights come from in the first place. Rights come from a capacity and motivation to respect rights in others. If the very concept of rights is beyond the mental capacity of beings around you to understand then these beings are not going to treat you as a rights-possessing being. The characteristics that IEET uses to describe why animals have rights fall... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472941 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4472941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424281&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F01%2Fposting-about-health-concerns-on-facebook-twitter%2F If you’re thinking about posting your health or mental health concerns on Facebook or Twitter, you may want to think twice. According to an article published last week in The LA Times, health insurers will often turn to social networks to check out someone’s story — especially when that person is receiving medical leave or disability payments from an insurer. If you’re filing (or intending to file) a health insurance claim, be careful. This once-hypothetical scenario is now commonplace, as insurers look for ways to keep cutting costs and payments to what they perceive as people intending to commit fraud against them. In fact, insurance companies don’t just randomly check out a social networking website when a claim comes in — it is now standard practice,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424281 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:10:47 +0100 4424281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419197&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F31%2Fare-we-rational-animals%2F Aristotle held the belief that man is a rational animal. A growing body of research suggests otherwise. Rational: of or based on reasoning (from Webster’s New World Dictionary).  This ambiguous definition is similar to what is given by many people when asked to define rational.  This type of definition is virtually worthless as it becomes open to a plethora of interpretations.  In order to teach and express the importance of rational thinking it is imperative to precisely define the concept. What is rationality? Rationality is concerned with two key things: what is true and what to do (Manktelow, 2004).  In order for our beliefs to be rational they must be in agreement with evidence.  In order for our actions to be rational they must be conducive to obtaining our goals. Cognitive s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419197 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:52:16 +0100 4419197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294594&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fvictory-war-against-20th-century.html I started rabble rousing about the fallacies of psychiatric classifications (diagnoses, nosologies) about eight years ago. Five years ago I went public, since that time I've labeled 29 posts as "diagnostic definition" related [1] including my most recent rant...... We're due for another DSM edition, but I doubt that will be any better.The good news is that in the last 8 years it's become clear to every researcher that all of the common neurospychiatric conditions, from "ADHD" to "ODD" to "Autism" to "Aspergers" to "Bipolar disorder" to "Schizophrenia" are very rough categorizations of thousands of different "phenotypes" (where a phenotype is the end-result of the interaction between genes and environment) that are themselves dynamic over the lifetime of the brain. (Even after adolescence... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294594 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:45:00 +0100 4294594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164556&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F13%2Fwhat-not-to-say-to-a-depressed-person%2F I’m always on the lookout for articles that touch on ways to communicate to a friend or family member who is depressed because, well, it’s a delicate issue and one that deserves some education. I found this quiz on Everyday Health on what you should and should not say to a loved one struggling with depression. 1. Snap out of it! Your loved one hasn’t left the house in what seems like days. Should you tell him to pull himself up by his bootstraps and just snap out of it? Don’t say it. You may be tempted to tell someone who’s depressed to stop moping around and just shake it off. But depression is not something patients can turn on and off, and they’re not able to respond to such pleas. Instead, tell your loved one that you’re available to help them ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164556 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:16:54 +0100 4164556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060587&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-is-a-patient-a-doctors-perspective%2F2010.10.12 What is a patient? What do they do? What’s their role in the doctor’s office?  Are they chassis on a conveyor belt? Are they puzzles for doctors to solve? Are they diseases? Are they demographics? Are they a repository for applied science? Or are they consumers? Are they paying customers? Are they the ones in charge? Are they employing physicians for their own needs? It depends. It depends on the situation. It depends on perspective. Some physicians are very offended when the “consumer” and “customer”  labels are applied to patients. They see this as the industrialization of healthcare. We are no longer professionals, we are made into “providers” — sort of smart vending-machine made out of flesh. Patients, on the other hand, get offended when doctors forget who... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060587 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:00:31 +0100 4060587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982010&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Frethinking-neuropsychiatric-diagnoses.html I started bemoaning the classification (aka ontology, nosology) of neuropsychiatric disorders about 8 years ago. I'm not the only one. One of the things I liked about Greene's Explosive Child book is that he is clearly unimpressed with the DSM IV nosology.We're due for another DSM edition, but I doubt that will be any better.The good news is that in the last 8 years it's become clear to every researcher that all of the common neurospychiatric conditions, from "ADHD" to "ODD" to "Autism" to "Aspergers" to "Bipolar disorder" to "Schizophrenia" are very rough categorizations of thousands of different "phenotypes" (where a phenotype is the end-result of the interaction between genes and environment) that are themselves dynamic over the lifetime of the brain. (Even after adolescence, we see maj... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982010 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 19:30:00 +0100 3982010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911701&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsurvey-how-would-you-define-health-20%2F2010.08.27 My friend and fellow blogger Lucien Engelen asked the health community to help define what Health 2.0 exactly means through an online survey: After our systematic review about the definition of Health 2.0, one of our next steps will be sorting out what “the crowd” thinks that has to be part of a definition of Health 2.0. For this purpose we’ve set up a little questionnaire that you could fill in below. To make the crowd as big as possible, we have also made it available to put on your own blog or website. We would encourage you to do this and inspire others to do the same. You may remember that Lucien and his collegues published a review about the definitions of Health 2.0 and Medicine 2.0 currently available. *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911701 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:00:27 +0100 3911701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845080&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fcognitive-evaluation-and-motivation.html One of my sons has substantial measured cognitive disabilities including base IQ and a range of social functions. By most recent evaluations he's borderline "mentally retarded". (A nasty phrase that's enshrined by legal statutes. Of course there's no true binary state, this is all continua.)Which is why our titanic struggles over his misuse of internet resources are puzzling. This ought to be the mismatch of the decade. In every measure of knowledge and cognitive measurement there should be no contest between him and me.And yet it is a struggle. Mostly I win, but he wins some too. He's proven OS X Parental Controls, for example, are utterly broken. (I have more to write about iPhone for special needs adolescence. There's more promise there, starting with disabling Safari and YouTube.)Yes, ... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845080 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:46:00 +0100 3845080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3794775&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-insulting-term-physician-extender%2F2010.07.27 “Physician Extender.” It sounds like the name of a male enhancement product. It’s a term often used to describe a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant. I hate it. It’s insulting. A nurse practitioner is not an adjunct physician. They do not supplement the care of a physician. They provide essential advance-practice nursing services, services that include diagnosis and provision of medical care. While some of these services overlap those of medicine, nurse practitioners are not extensions of another profession, they provide care in their own right — as educated, licensed practitioners. Sometimes the only care provider for a community is a nurse practitioner. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Emergiblog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3794775 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:12 +0100 3794775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737045&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpersonalized-medicine-a-bait-and-switch%2F2010.07.08 Mark Hyman, a proponent of so-called “functional medicine” promoting himself over at the Huffington Post (an online news source that essentially allows dubious medical infomercials to pass as news) has posted a particularly egregious article on personalized medicine for dementia. In the article Hyman distorts the modern practice of medicine, the current state of genetic science, and the very notion of “disease.” It is, as usual, a fine piece of medical propaganda sure to confuse many a reader. Hyman starts with some standard epidemiology of dementia –- it’s a common and growing disorder –- but then descends quickly into distortion and pseudoscience. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737045 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:38 +0100 3737045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710559&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-makes-a-conversation-psychotherapy%2F2010.06.29 Years ago I had a student who repeatedly asked me how psychotherapy works. “How is it different than a conversation?” When I think of psychotherapy, I think in terms of the talking itself as being the aspect that helps — and yes, of course it can be used in conjunction with medications. I think of it as being structured — in terms of time and place and frequency — and being all about the patient. And whether or not it’s actually discussed, some of what works is about the relationship — most people don’t get better talking to someone they despise, and the warmth, empathy, feeling listened to and cared for, well, they’re all important. And I also think of it as being a process over time. These are all parts of my definition, however, and ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710559 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 3710559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706673&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnon-endorsement-of-the-national-nurse-act-a-letter-to-the-ana%2F2010.06.28 To the American Nurses Association, I am a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and a dedicated supporter of HR 4601 The National Nurse Act. For the life of me, I cannot understand ANA’s reluctance to endorse the National Nurse Act. The infrastructure already exists, in fact the position already exists. The Act seeks to have the Chief Nursing Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service designated as the National Nurse. There is nothing political about this –- the nominating procedure for the position does not change. It is not a presidential appointment, nor is it a Cabinet position. And it costs nothing to implement -– it’s already funded. It takes no resources away from other nursing initiatives and competes with no other nursing organization. But more importantly, it g... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706673 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:06:00 +0100 3706673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287704&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006958.html Are dolphins sufficiently self-aware to deserve more ethical treatment from humans? Emory University neuroscientist Lori Marino will speak on the anatomical basis of dolphin intelligence at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference (AAAS) in San Diego, on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 3:30 p.m. "Many modern dolphin brains are significantly larger than our own and second in mass to the human brain when corrected for body size," Marino says. A leading expert in the neuroanatomy of dolphins and whales, Marino will appear as part of a panel discussing these findings and their ethical and policy implications. Some dolphin brains exhibit features correlated with complex intelligence, she says, including a large expanse of neocortical volume that is more convoluted... (Source: Futur... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287704 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3287704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3122075&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fend-of-autism.html No, the problems of suboptimal neurodevelopment are not going away. The concept of "autism" has lasted longer than I'd expected, but the assault continues ...Syndromic autism: causes and pathogenetic pathways. [World J Pediatr. 2009] - PubMed result... Genetic syndromes, defined mutations, and metabolic diseases account for less than 20% of autistic patients. Alterations of the neocortical excitatory/inhibitory balance and perturbations of interneurons' development represent the most probable pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the autistic phenotype in fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. Chromosomal abnormalities and potential candidate genes are strongly implicated in the disruption of neural connections, brain growth and synaptic/dendritic morphology. Metabolic and mitocho... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3122075 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:21:00 +0100 3122075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3083025&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fwealth-and-med-choice-antipsychotics.html Interesting results, annoyingly inflammatory interpretation ...Children on Medicaid Found More Likely to Get Antipsychotics - NYTimes.comNew federally financed drug research reveals a stark disparity: children covered by Medicaid are given powerful antipsychotic medicines at a rate four times higher than children whose parents have private insurance. And the Medicaid children are more likely to receive the drugs for less severe conditions than their middle-class counterparts, the data shows.Those findings, by a team from Rutgers and Columbia, are almost certain to add fuel to a long-running debate. Do too many children from poor families receive powerful psychiatric drugs not because they actually need them — but because it is deemed the most efficient and cost-effective way to control p... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3083025 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:59:00 +0100 3083025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871543&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fthis-really-bad-idea.html A woman decides to try treating her son's autism with cannabis..Not surprisingly, since she wrote an article about it, she feels he's doing well.This is such a bad idea -- though I can understand why a parent might be so desperate they might try it.Let me name the reasons why you shouldn't consider following along ...Cannabis is not a placebo. Cannabis is not a "safe" but worthless herbal remedy. Cannabis is big-time pharmacologically active stuff. It has tons of effects. Maybe some of those efffects will help some brains; there's some thought that it accelerates neuronal connection death -- and that could even be therapeutic. Probably other effects will hurt other brains. Maybe it will both hurt and help. Maybe it will help for a while, then really hurt. Nobody knows.Anyone remember thali... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871543 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:59:00 +0100 2871543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842770&cid=t_103248_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FnNMYRZrKNJQ%2Fwhat-is-frontotemporal-dementia.html Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a cluster of progressive diseases that affect the regions of the brain that control personality, behavior, language, and decision-making. Frontotemporal dementia is often misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimer's disease. Frontotemporal dementia tends to occur at a younger age than does Alzheimer's disease, typically between the ages of 40 and 70. More than half the people who develop frontotemporal dementia have no family history of dementia. Frontotemporal dementia was once known as Pick's disease. Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email FTD is a disease of behavior and language dysfunction, while the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is loss of memory. Some people with frontotemporal dementia undergo dramatic changes in t... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842770 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:50:06 +0100 2842770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768820&cid=t_103248_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2F7fkBTencJ0c%2Fdementia-and-eight-types-of-dementia.html Dementia is a clinical syndrome that includes loss or decline in memory and other cognitive abilities. Dementia is caused by various diseases and conditions that result in damaged brain cells. Brain cells can be destroyed by brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, or strokes (called vascular or multi-infarct dementia), which decrease blood flow to the brain. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email Dementia can be caused by any of the following: AIDS, high fever, dehydration, hydrocephalus, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, long-term drug or alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies, poor nutrition, hypothyroidism or hypercalcemia, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor. Dementia can also result from a head... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768820 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:05:04 +0100 2768820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442750&cid=t_103248_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fcan-we-bank-on-trust.html In a feature today "Can We Bank on Objectivity" Patti Tereskerz looks at the rules proposed by the National Institutes of Health for dealing with financial conflicts of interest in biomedical research.While agreeing with the article in large part, it starts from a somewhat misguided position. Take a read and see what you think. It begins:"Trust is the crown jewel of the research enterprise. Financial arrangements related to research that call into question the integrity of investigators or research institutions are damaging, not only because they may potentially harm research participants, but because they are associated with the appearance of impropriety. Either way, trust is compromised."This misunderstands the nature of science. Science is, at its core, based not trust, but on it's very... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442750 Wed, 27 May 2009 14:39:00 +0100 2442750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390343&cid=t_103248_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2F1VhEabPH_kE%2Fwhat-is-clinical-trial.html Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate and test new drugs, medical devices, medical procedures, or combinations of treatments.Most people believe that clinical trials are limited to testing drugs. This is not the case.A good example is the Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Study which is designed to identify the genes that are responsible for causing Alzheimer's Disease. This clinical trial started in 2002 and is still recruiting participants.You might be surprised to learn that there are ongoing clinical trials for new dental products, back pain, headaches, sleeping disorders, and just about anything you can imagine.Most clinical trials pay for out of pocket costs like travel, and some pay a fee for participation. The drug or product is supplied free of charge to study participants... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390343 Tue, 05 May 2009 17:26:53 +0100 2390343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375926&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fsalon-autism-is-not-disorder.html Salon has an article on the autism is not a disorder movement, sometimes called the “neurodiversity” movement. I don’t like to surrender the term neurodiversity, so I’ll call this the “autism is ok” movement. We’ve been through this sort of thing a few times. Famously, some deaf people resent the use of nerve implants that diminish the appeal of sign language. On another front lesbians and gay men successfully transformed same gender sexual preference from a disease to a trait. These examples are well known, but there’s a third example that’s been forgotten. In the 1970s it was a fad for a while to consider schizophrenia to be just another worldview; and that the disease was an biased social construction. That idea was, how shall I say, bull poop. Reality is a lot messier... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375926 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:34:00 +0100 2375926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364973&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Flink-between-autism-and-extraordinary.html Shortly after reading of an obsessive audiophile savant (definitely spectrum) I came across an Economist article exploring an old theme -- exceptional abilities in atypical minds... The link between autism and extraordinary ability | Genius locus | The Economist ... A link between artistic genius on the one hand and schizophrenia and manic-depression on the other, is widely debated. However another link, between savant syndrome and autism, is well established... A study published this week by Patricia Howlin of King’s College, London, reinforces this point. It suggests that as many as 30% of autistic people have some sort of savant-like capability in areas such as calculation or music. Moreover, it is widely acknowledged that some of the symptoms associated with autism, including poo... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364973 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:20:00 +0100 2364973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347906&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fnature-decries-attempts-to-redefine.html Considering the discussions we have had here as to what constitutes a human embryo, I thought it worth revisiting an old Nature editorial that decries the sophistic attempt within bioethics and the life sciences to pretend that an embryo before implantation in a uterus isn't really an embryo. Nature supports ESCR, but its editorial notes that the redefinition of the term "embryo" is being pursued for political purpose rather than scientific accuracy. From the editorial, "Playing the Name Game," Nature Vol 4367 July 2005 (No link, my emphasis):Last month's meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research in San Francisco witnessed a bizarre semantic debate. Delegates discussed a proposal to refrain from using the term 'embryo' when referring to the blastocysts from which human em... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347906 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:37:00 +0100 2347906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306893&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fviolence-and-natural-history-of-autism.html Ann Bauer has written four stories about her son Andrew July 2005: He's been doing well from age 12 to 17. May 2007: Andrew is 19. She tells us that he was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, and that antipsychotic medications made him violent Mar 2008: She’s struggling, and still feels that the antipsychotic medications are responsible for Andrew’s worsening condition. Mar 2009: Andrew is dangerously violent, and his mother can’t get help in an emergency. From Mar of 2009 (emphases mine) … Ann Bauer on autism, violence | Salon Life... Andrew started life as a mostly typical child. But at 3 and a half he become remote and perseverative, sitting in a corner and staring at his own splayed hand. Eventually he was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, a label that seemed to expla... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306893 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:01:00 +0100 2306893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284438&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Fbiologically-new-human-life-begins-when.html This argument wouldn't have to be made, but for science becoming post modern in some circles so that narrative counts more than facts. This has certainly been true with regard to biotechnology because some want to use human embryos instrumentally. But rather than just admit that and justify it ethically, definitions were changed, for example, claiming that an embryo only comes into being upon implantation, rather than at its beginning at the completion of fertilization. In that way--presto-chango--embryos in petri dishes could be used as so many kernels of corn.But I looked into this issue when I was researching Consumer's Guide to a Brave New World. Every embryology text book I reviewed retained the non political definition of when human life begins, e.g. at the completion of fertilizatio... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284438 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:41:00 +0100 2284438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172719&cid=t_103248_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F4tli2LLzE-A%2F One of the key facets of any EHR investment by the government will look at ways to award money for usage of an EHR. The hard question they’ll try to answer is how do you define an EHR that’s implemented. This discussion is not new. Every study you can find on EHR implementation has struggled with the idea of defining when an EHR is actually implemented. I think that most surveys I’ve seen usually allow the user to define whether they’re EHR is fully implemented or partially implemented. The problem with this is that each person is likely to define a fully implemented EHR in different ways. If a researcher has a problem defining an implemented EHR can you imagine how much fun the government will have defining this same thing. Not to mention when you start to attach m... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172719 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:19:49 +0100 2172719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2134644&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fhere-come-assisted-suicide-bills.html Two states have had assisted suicide bills introduced; Hawaii and New Hampshire. Hawaii's law requires a suicide "monitor" to be present at the death--which in practice would often be an assisted suicide ideologue, such as the "counselors" who work with Compassion and Choices:Monitor required; form. (a) A qualified patient shall designate a competent adult to act as a monitor and who shall be present at the time of actual administration of the medication to the qualified patient and shall witness the event. The monitor shall have the power to act on behalf of the qualified patient to:(1) Stop the administration of the medication if it has not yet been carried out; or (2) Enlist medical assistance to attempt to reverse the effect of the medication if the medication has already been delivere... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2134644 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:08:00 +0100 2134644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2063198&cid=t_103248_147_f&fid=38117&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.engageinhealth.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fredefining_personalized_medici.html Since the first time I heard the concept “personalized medicine” more than a decade ago, I was intrigued. And it continues to receive more and more attention: Pharma companies such as Eli Lilly and Roche consider it a pillar of their R&D approaches; organizations that seek to advance the understanding and adoption of personalized medicine, such as Personalized Medicine Coalition, are springing up; and companies in the health care services industry are dedicating staff to the function and authoring papers on the subject, such as McKesson’s “Personalized Medicine and Healthcare IT: Supporting the Revolution in Human Health.” Even the Obama administration ("The president-elect has indicated his support for both advancing personalized medicine and increasing [research] funding," said... The Health Engagement Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2063198 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:41:47 +0100 2063198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980678&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fwarner-on-risperdal-use-in-children.html The NYT's Judith Warner meant well with a recent blog post about Risperdal use in children with "bipolar disorder" but she was ill-served by the research psychiatrists she interviewed.Here are some excerpts of her writing, with the less sensible parts removed ...Tough Choices for Tough Children - Judith Warner Blog - NYTimes.comIt was disturbing to read in The Times this week that the “atypical” antipsychotic Risperdal, a tranquilizing whopper of a drug with serious, sometimes deadly side effects, is now being widely prescribed to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. .. why, according to new Food and Drug Administration data on doctors’ prescribing practices, were 16 percent of the pediatric users of Risperdal over the past three years children with A.D.H.D.?... T... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980678 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:30:00 +0100 1980678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947012&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fshould-religious-views-determined.html There is a tragic case ongoing in Washington DC that involves the definition of death and religious belief. A 12-year-old boy, known publicly as M.B., has been declared dead by neurological criteria (popularly known as brain dead). The doctors want to terminate the medical machinery that is keeping the boy's body functioning. But the family, who are Orthodox Jews, claim that since his heart is still beating, under their religion, he is still alive, and thus they want the "treatment" to continue. From the story:Judge William Jackson told Jeffrey Zuckerman, a partner at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle representing the boy's family, and Kenneth Rosenau, a name partner at Rosenau & Rosenau representing the hospital, that before he could rule on whether to suspend treatment--which ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947012 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:17:00 +0100 1947012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833201&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fcontrolling-nerve-cell-connectivity.html A day or two ago my post on Fragile X and autism research included a discussion of a general theme in current autism research ...... Bear and other scientists have also identified several drugs that seem to correct the problem. The drugs don't replace the missing brakes in the brain. Instead, they limit acceleration by reducing the activity of a group of receptors on brain cells known as mGluR5 receptors.The drugs have reversed most of the effects of Fragile X in mice. They are now being tried in humans. And at least one small study found that a single dose of a drug had an effect....The idea is that neuronal connectivity is a delicate, dynamic, balance. Too much connectivity, or too little, can both prevent cognition from working correctly.So now there's research on modulating neuronal in... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833201 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:31:00 +0100 1833201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1536819&cid=t_103248_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fori-research-misconduct-survey-reports.html This study contributes nothing beyond many other ignored studies which report the same.So let's say it again:Research fraud is not rare.Investigation of fraud is a shamFraudsters are protected except where it suits those who benefit from fraud to apply random punishment.Those who state the obvious are abused.Official bodies really have nothing to offer. They are part of the problem.It is not necessary to conduct research to demonstrate the obvious...... Vioxx, Avandia, Zetia, Actonel.... the list is endless. In each and every instance there is coverup, serious damage to the public and to science, and failure of the very organizations who claim to act as guardians of integrity to say anything at all. Its all a grand mix of fog, righteous indignation, hand sitting and some occasional wrist s... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1536819 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:47:00 +0100 1536819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1484870&cid=t_103248_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F02%2Fwhat-is-good-mental-health%2F So many people, myself included, throw around terms in everyday use without really ever defining them. So what is “good” mental health? And what do we mean by “mental health” anyway? Mental health is a pretty broad term. Some use it as a simple synonym to describe our brain’s health. Others use it more broadly to include our psychological state. Still others will add emotions into the definition. I believe a good definition includes all of the above. Mental health describes our social, emotional, and psychological states, all wrapped up into one. (There are far more complicated models of mental health and wellness, but I prefer simplicity.) But it includes something else we may not always consider — mental health, just like our physical health, operate... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1484870 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:00:12 +0100 1484870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1419663&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fautism-turns-into-aspergers-how-did.html "Sam" (pseudonym) isn't "autistic" any more. Now he has "Asperger's". He used to have "autism", so what happened? What was the key intervention? Was it abstention from immunization? No, he gets poked regularly. An alternative or experimental medication? No, he's never taken any medications (unlike his sib - we treasure medications when they're valuable). An intense program of behavioral therapy? No, he's mostly inherited the fringes of the home built behavioral program his older brother needs. Dietary changes then? Vitamins, supplements, abstention from gluten? Well, he only accepts a very limited diet, but it contains a reasonable amount of gluten, wheat, etc. He's finally accepted his sister's daily multivitamin, which might help avert scurvy. A quiet, calming, nurturing home environment... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1419663 Mon, 05 May 2008 04:04:00 +0100 1419663 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344262&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005107.html How long till wolf-boy gets created? Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK, the BBC can reveal. The embryos survived... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344262 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1344262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1336672&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fbreakthrough-in-understanding-genetics.html A major publication in Science on the genetics of schizophrenia is summarized in Gordon's Notes Gordon's Notes: What is schizophrenia? Not what we thought. ... note only 15% percent of "schizophrenics" fit this pattern. I'll summarize the key implications: Schizophrenia is not a disease. It's the name given a fairly large number of unique disorders of brain development that have, among their endpoints, social withdrawal, hallucinations, and fixed beliefs. A good number of cases of "autism" and "schizophrenia" are different manifestations of overlapping sets of mutations. There may be"no genes for most instances autism and schizophrenia". There are sets of large scale mutations that are similar between close genetic relatives, but simil... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1336672 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:42:00 +0100 1336672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1296082&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Finteractive-autism-network-research.html Discussion Groups are focused on the IAN research project. It will be tough to keep them on topic -- they'd need heavy moderation to survive. I'll take a look at them later and comment on how well that's working out. (Source: Be the Best You can Be) Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1296082 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:57:00 +0100 1296082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1246566&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F02%2Fcourt-overrules-mo-secretary-of-state.html I admit that I am pleasantly surprised. The pro cloning bias among the political elite and media in Missouri make it almost impossible to get the straight information to the people of MO about this crucial ethical issue. When a new initiative to outlaw all human cloning was filed awhile ago, the Secretary of State wrote a summary that was both inaccurate and breathtakingly biased. Well, lo and behold, a court has righted the wrong. From the story: A judge rewrote the ballot language Wednesday for a proposed constitutional amendment banning a particular kind of embryonic stem cell research after supporters claimed the state's original description was biased...After Carnahan released the stem cell summary in October, the sponsoring group Cures Without Cloning immediately claimed her language... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1246566 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:36:00 +0100 1246566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1198768&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F228692252%2F “Alveoli: Tiny milk-producing sacs that are arranged in clusters throughout the breast. Each breast has hundreds of alveoli. Once the milk is produced, it’s secreted into tube-shaped ducts that travel to the nipple.” Source: whattoexpect.com Tags: alveoli, anatomy, breast milk, breastfeeding, breasts, definition, lactationShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1198768 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:16:32 +0100 1198768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=933004&cid=t_103248_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fbodacious-blog-award.html "Crystal" from "Crystal Jigsaw" was kind enough to bestow the 'Bodacious Blog Award' to me.I am ashamed to admit that my two volume Oxford English dictionary has no entry for this word. Fortunately in the modern world we can rely on "Wikipedia" which tells us that Bodacious can mean: * A full-figured female body shape, also known as a voluptuous or Rubenesque figure * Bodacious the Bull * In CB radio jargon, a general-purpose word of praise * A variety of iris (plant) * Extremely cool, most excellent, "that is bodacious!"I will leave you each to decide which definition is most appropriate for you and your blog.The Unsuspecting Soul of the Bodacious Blog Award Goes To..."Randy" from "Puddle of Nothing.""Cami" over at "CamiKaos," and "Mommified Me."And "Riseoutofme" over "here."I'll be ... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=933004 Sat, 06 Oct 2007 12:16:00 +0100 933004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=853177&cid=t_103248_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F154057619%2F The study, published in the journal Hypertension, revealed women who slept five hours or less were twice as likely to suffer from hypertension as women who slept seven hours or more a night. There was no difference between those men sleeping less than five hours and those sleeping seven hours or more. Well great! You want know how much more sleep my husband gets than me almost every night? Probably over 2 hours. I think on the average that women sleep a heck of a lot less than men due to the demands of children and most “part time” work being swing shift or night shift for childcare purposes. The definition of hypertension used in the study was a BP of over 140/90 or if the subject took regular blood pressure medication. The study was actually fairly large with over 6500 applic... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=853177 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:52:04 +0100 853177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=536650&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fdiagnosing-autism-more-frequently-means.html The Strib, our local paper (now on life support) had an impressive graph on the front page yesterday. Alas, the (feeble) web site lacks the graph, which was a typical exponential growth curve implying that within 20 years every child will carry the diagnosis of autism [4].So what does the increase, and the current estimate from a recent CDC study of 1/150 children, mean? First, here's some text from the article (emphases mine) ...Autism everywhereBy David Peterson, Star TribuneLast update: April 09, 2007 – 11:55 PM... The number of kids classed as autistic is exploding. A recent study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that autism is found in one in 150 children -- and researchers involved in the study say that may be an understatement. In Minnesota school... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=536650 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:29:00 +0100 536650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479657&cid=t_103248_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2005%2F11%2Fautism-like-findings-in-relatives-of.html This study lends credence to the "Silicon Valley nerds" theory of the increasing prevalence of autism -- that many high IQ "autistic" children are the result of increased rates of marriage between persons with autistic traits, who congregate in the tech indutries. It also strengthens the long suspected link between pre-autistic traits and "geekiness".Classic autism is not a very adaptive condition in most human environments. Autistic children would probably die quickly in a harsh environment. So why is autism a relatively common disorder? We know from many, many examples in human evolution that a serious genetic disease (ex. sickle cell anemia) will persist when some of its component traits have adaptive advantage. It's very likely that some pre-autistic "traits" or genetic components have... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479657 Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:58:00 +0100 479657