Sunday, August 31, 2014

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Yo Psychs- Yoo Hoo

New study throws into question long-held belief about depression
In the late 1980s, the now well-known antidepressant Prozac was introduced. The drug works mainly by increasing the amounts of one substance in the brain—serotonin. So scientists came to believe that boosting levels of the signaling molecule was the key to solving depression. Based on this idea, many other drugs to treat the condition entered the picture. But now researchers know that 60 to 70 percent of these patients continue to feel depressed, even while taking the drugs. Kuhn's team set out to study what role, if any, serotonin played in the condition.
To do this, they developed "knockout" mice that lacked the ability to produce serotonin in their brains. The scientists ran a battery of behavioral tests.
Interestingly, the mice were compulsive and extremely aggressive, but didn't show signs of depression-like symptoms. Another surprising finding is that when put under stress, the knockout mice behaved in the same way most of the normal mice did. Also, a subset of the knockout mice responded therapeutically to antidepressant medications in a similar manner to the normal mice. These findings further suggest that serotonin is not a major player in the condition, and different factors must be involved.
That is just beyond snarkable.
Complete and utter refutation of their core premise.   Poof it's gone...

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Well Looky There

Everything old is new again...

Alcoholics have an abnormal CD8 T cell response to the influenza virus
Alcoholic patients have greatly increased risks of infection with extracellular bacteria, intracellular bacteria, and viruses. Numerous reports have documented that alcoholics exhibit higher rates of bacterial pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, and peritonitis. Among the best-studied examples of this increased predilection to severe respiratory disease following chronic alcohol abuse are bacterial pneumonias. In fact, Benjamin Rush, the Surgeon General of the Continental Army and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as early as 1785 described alcoholics as susceptible to yellow fever, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. More recent studies have demonstrated that there is a two- to seven-fold greater incidence in mortality as well as increased morbidity in chronic alcohol-consuming individuals compared to non-alcoholic pneumonia patients."
"It has also been known since the 1800s that alcohol use disorders are associated with increased susceptibility to lung infection – both viral and bacterial, including community acquired pneumonia and tuberculosis – acute respiratory distress syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," added Ilhem Messaoudi, associate professor of biomedical sciences at University of California Riverside. "Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying the increased susceptibility to lung infection and injury in individuals with alcohol use disorder is extremely important. Although several studies have demonstrated that this phenomenon is in part due to significant perturbations in the immune system, our understanding of the impact of alcohol abuse on immunity remains incomplete."
Gosh, almost all my favorite things in one article.  Drunk Medical History.

Circling the Truth

See the bias.

Is fast food making us depressed?

Good article.   Almost.   He still thinks fat is involved.   Nothing about insulin...  but he's on the right track.

The Veteran's study looks interesting.  Omega 3 supplements are a good idea, but I'm guessing the results will be disappointing.  Those guys are way sicker than that.   They need rigorous infection suppression.

I clicked on that MoodFood link.   I think that group needs to get together with those Narcolepsy researchers from the Netherlands, learn a little about Orexin and insulin resistance...

...click on the MoodFood homepage, see the graphic.  See The Bias.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

As I was Saying

Common gut bacteria prevent sensitization to allergens in mouse model for peanut allergy
To test how gut bacteria affect food allergies, Nagler and her team investigated the response to food allergens in mice. They exposed germ-free mice (born and raised in sterile conditions to have no resident microorganisms) and mice treated with antibiotics as newborns (which significantly reduces gut bacteria) to peanut allergens. Both groups of mice displayed a strong immunological response, producing significantly higher levels of antibodies against peanut allergens than mice with normal gut bacteria.
This sensitization to food allergens could be reversed, however, by reintroducing a mix of Clostridia bacteria back into the mice. Reintroduction of another major group of intestinal bacteria, Bacteroides, failed to alleviate sensitization, indicating that Clostridia have a unique, protective role against food allergens.
The part I want to understand is why it makes me want to eat nuts.  Because it does.   Real bad.

Nobody could have predicted

High insulin levels tied to obesity pathway
The findings suggest that physicians may need to reconsider use of intensive insulin therapy to control hyperglycemia (high blood-sugar levels) in obese, diabetic patients with hyperinsulinemia (overproduction of insulin). In addition, the findings suggest that suppressing glucagon action could prevent hyperinsulinemia, without causing diabetes. The research team found that suppressing glucagon in obese, insulin-resistant, type 2 diabetic mice reduced blood glucose back to normal levels.
Can you say Metformin??????   Or Low Carb Diet??????

Dr. Atkins said this in the 1960's.  And Gary Taubes in the 2000's.
The Europeans gave up insulin for T2Ds a decade ago.

Thanks for getting around to finally confirming this....

Monday, August 25, 2014

Oh Irony

Just want to let you know that I am not immune from any of the effects.

Things that make a lot more sense now...

This post

... Exactly how sick I was when this happened...

and I'm pretty sure I can blame my first marriage on my wisdom teeth.   Ha.

Nuts make me Nuts

New gluten-free ingredient may cause allergic reaction
A popular legume used in other countries is showing up in more U.S. gluten-free products. A food safety specialist explains why people with peanut and soybean allergies need to be cautious: "Lupin is a yellow-colored bean that's very popular in Europe, Mediterranean countries, Australia and New Zealand. However, it is new to the United States and because of that, many consumers have never heard of it and may not realize that lupin has the same protein that causes allergic reactions to peanuts and soybeans."

Yo Dr. Mignot

Genetic association, seasonal infections and autoimmune basis of narcolepsy.
"As the brain is not an easily accessible organ, mechanisms of disease initiation and progression remain a challenge to researchers."
How many times do we have to tell you this isn't a brain problem, it's a gut problem?
Seriously dude, we have been telling you that for over a decade.  
Is it really so difficult to wrap your Psychiatrist mind around the idea that Orexin cells project into the periphery and are accessible from there?

That is frakking self evident.   What. The. Hell.

Pan de los Muertos

Farmers Fight Poisonous Wheat Fungus with Cleaning and Waiting
The "head scab" fungus can produce vomitoxin, a chemical that is poisonous to humans and livestock when consumed at high level.
Okay, really, Vomitoxin?  
That's vividly disgusting.

And I'm assuming it's in grain silos and elevators and freight cars now? 
Sheesh.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

See the Cycle

Cosmetic eye procedure may ease migraines, small study says

I got 4-way eyelid surgery, I don't know- maybe ten years ago.  

It definitely helped my headaches. It was immediate.   As a matter of fact the first thing I said to my husband when I got home was:  "I can breathe!  My head doesn't hurt".

It totally shut down my trigeminal problems.   My head never felt better.
For a while.
Then it got worse again.  Because my neuralgia actually originates in my tooth sockets.

Anyhow, I would also like to point out that the reason I had puffy, droopy eyelids in the first place was the food allergies and head infections that caused those trigeminal problems too.
But the surgeon never bothered to mention that.

And funny, the ENT who offered to cut up my clogged sinuses never mentioned it either...

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Another Cuppa

What Should You Do After Drinking Coffee?

I do everything after drinking coffee.   Is there another option?

ICYMI

I put up an Update to my Narcolepsy Hypothesis.   It's kind of long, but if you have some time to kill... here it is.

See the Nightmare

Kajieme Powell Died Because Police Have Become America’s Mental-Health Workers
There are complicated reasons for this, many of them summed up by an informative Bazelon report, but what it comes down to is that all too often, Americans simply don’t have access to the mental-health resources they need. They fall through crack after crack in the system, and hitting bottom usually involves an encounter with the police.
If only that were true.
Fk your fking system.
The fact is, even if they do have access, the treatments don't work either.
As Bernstein put it, “People rarely, rarely, rarely just snap. If anybody is watching, there’s an observable trajectory where everybody knows somebody’s at risk, everybody knows somebody isn’t doing well.” For whatever reasons, Kajieme Powell snapped without anyone noticing. For his story to have had a happy ending, he needed help long before he stole those energy drinks. 
For whatever reasons?     You are the reason.
Because of fking Freud and the generations of "therapists" that came after him-
Mr. Powell would have needed to get help about a century ago.  What used to be "common knowledge" has faded into the past-  nobody these days seems to be trained to recognize chronic infections or septic delirium when they look right at them.

In particular, the "mental health professionals".
But especially the guys with the guns.


Even when I'm not sick, this shit makes me crazy.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Follow the Money

Impaired Synapse 'Pruning' Linked to Autism
Children and adolescents with autism have a surplus of synapses in the brain, and this excess is due to a slowdown in a normal brain "pruning" process during development, according to a study by neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). Because synapses are the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other, the excessive synapses may have profound effects on how the brain functions. The study was published in the August 21 online issue of the journal Neuron.
A drug that restores normal synaptic pruning can improve autistic-like behaviors in mice, the researchers found, even when the drug is given after the behaviors have appeared.
Although the drug, rapamycin, has side effects that may preclude its use in people with autism, "the fact that we can see changes in behavior suggests that autism may still be treatable after a child is diagnosed, if we can find a better drug," said the study's senior investigator, David Sulzer, PhD, professor of neurobiology in the Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Pharmacology at CUMC.

Okay a few things-

This drug shuts down excessive mTor activity.
mTor is very highly associated with the immune reaction to infection.   If you are making a lot of it, you are probably infected.

Unfortunately, if you're systemically infected, the dendritic cells in the immune system work on fighting that rather than doing maintenance on your brain...

And the stress hormones keep autistics from sleeping properly which is when synaptic  pruning takes place.

Rapamycin is a naturally derived antibiotic, antifungal and immunosuppressant commonly used to prevent rejection in organ or bone-marrow transplant patients.

This whole pathway is diet and infection related.   They don't need to find a new drug,  they need to change their priorities.  

Zombie Bestsellers

Reading “50 Shades of Grey” is linked to abusive relationships and eating disorders
“Fifty Shades of Grey” were more likely than non-readers to exhibit signs of eating disorders and to have relationships with verbally abusive partners.
What’s more, women who read all three books in the series also proved to be at an increased risk of binge drinking regularly and of having multiple sex partners. Whether women started showing signs of these behaviors before or after they read the book was not distinguished in the study. But, according to lead researcher Amy Bonomi, a professor at Michigan State University, it doesn’t matter when participants experienced these behaviors; the link is problematic either way.
The reason I never read this book is because it perpetuates all the misinformation and gender expectations that keep us sick.
Eating disorders and self injury are symptoms and causes of systemic infection.  That Grey guy sounds like a walking biohazard to me.
Not really very sexy at all.

The Circle of Insanity

Anders Breivik's father to publish book
The father of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik will publish a book entitled, My Fault? A Father's Story, on his role in the life of the killer, his publisher has announced.
In an excerpt released on Wednesday, Jens Breivik writes: "I feel some guilt and I feel some responsibility. What would have happened if I had been a better father? Would Anders have done what he did?"
Frikkin Frakkin Freud, still perpetuating his special brand of insanity long after he's dead

Thursday, August 21, 2014

This is Why

School starts soon.
Annie wrote to me about her son at the beginning of the summer.  She was thinking of taking him out of state to a narcolepsy specialist since he seemed to be worsening.   He is 11 and has braces so I suggested some gentle dental care advice.  (no twirling toothbrushes even if you are 11.)
She had him on a gluten free diet for a few weeks but it wasn't helping.   Had pretty much substituted bread with potatoes, but when she cut both out of his diet...  he suddenly got better.
It's been pretty awesome...
This summer has been great, I don’t know which supplement worked since he is taking so many different things, from common fish oil to no so common Gingko leaves. But the result is amazing. Summer camp runs from 9-4 and after a whole day of camp he can still function well into late in the evening (sometimes with a nap after, sometimes not). He is less moody than most teens. Much more energetic and pleasant than before... In just a few months, he transformed from a chubby boy to a strong and slender young man.
She mentioned earlier that was tennis camp.   He ran around all day.   Seriously.

So good in so many ways...

Keep up the good fight, everyone.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Stuart Heritage

Welcome to Nap Club, the home of more focused, efficient workers

No dear, despite the fact that sleep improves memory- it is not normal or healthy for adults to nap after lunch.  You are not part of a Secret Special Sleep Society, you are showing the unmistakable signs of narcolepsy.

Your article is what I call leaning into the pitch.   You are asking for some real head trauma.

Intense rationalization of our symptoms is a symptom.  I will assume you  also appreciate the "healthy" effects of a low-fat diet.

Monday, August 18, 2014

The Guinea Pig Generation

Early antibiotic exposure leads to lifelong metabolic disturbances in mice
Antibiotic exposure during a critical window of early development disrupts the bacterial landscape of the gut, home to trillions of diverse microbes, and permanently reprograms the body’s metabolism, setting up a predisposition to obesity, according to a new study. Moreover, the research shows that it is altered gut bacteria, rather than the antibiotics, driving the metabolic effects.
Uh huh. 

Mercy on us All

Why the escape of numerous Ebola patients in Liberia’s worst slum is so terrifying

Because numerous Ebola patients are loose in Liberia's worst slum for shit's sake...
along with their biohazardous waste.

That's worst case scenario stuff.   Holy Crap.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Messed Up

Study Finds $10 To $10,000 Price Range For Same Blood Test At Different California Hospitals

That's just outrageous.

Zombie Food Cravings

Do gut bacteria rule our minds?
It sounds like science fiction, but it seems that bacteria within us—which outnumber our own cells about 100-fold—may very well be affecting both our cravings and moods to get us to eat what they want, and often are driving us toward obesity.
In an article published this week in the journal BioEssays, researchers from UC San Francisco, Arizona State University and University of New Mexico concluded from a review of the recent scientific literature that microbes influence human eating behavior and dietary choices to favor consumption of the particular nutrients they grow best on, rather than simply passively living off whatever nutrients we choose to send their way.
My bacteria are clearly partial to gummi bears.  

No really, strep bacteria alter saliva output and amylase activity.
and they like to eat sucrose the best.  so it's real good for them...
If they really do make us crave sugar, well the circle is complete.

Friday, August 15, 2014

This is why

Because it nearly killed me again.
I followed medical advice and it nearly killed me again.

Last October I had a skin infection, and the doctor said it was fine. But it wasn't, and it went septic and I had it lanced. And then he gave me keflex. And I took it because there's a lot of MRSA in doctors offices.

Anyhow, the keflex made me feel like hell. Tired, no memory or motivation. It was terrible. But that wasn't even the bad part.
I was feeling lazy, so we got some pizza from the gluten free restaurant. And I ate it.
The next day I was depressed. Crying, sleeping, whining. Laid in the dark with a migraine thinking it would pass.
And the next day I was insane. Weeping, screaming, pacing, freaking out. I tore the brand new blinds out of the window. I wanted to burn the house down.  My head was filled with flashing lights.
I was out of my mind in two days.
And then, THE DAY AFTER THAT...
I woke up and my nose and gums were bleeding. Profusely. They were completely blistered and I never felt a thing.

Apparently antibiotics make nut allergies more severe.
And there was nut flour in that pizza crust. Ordinarily I would have been sick, but not like that.
I really could have used that information. Really, I listen to things like that.

I try to stay sane. I try all day long every day. But every once in a while I still find myself screaming on the floor.

And begging my husband NOT to take me to the doctor. I'm afraid what will happen.

---------------------------------


Because this is my first memory-

Screaming in a bathtub full of ice water while having febrile seizures.

Because I spent most of my childhood screaming in my sleep.

Because the most significant event in my life turned out to be an excruciating head infection.

Because now I realize that one way or another, delirium will probably also be the last thing I do.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Seven Years

Happy Glutenversary to me.
Another year, and I'm still here.  And my brain still works...
It's still not exactly done, I will probably tweak on it for a while. It definitely needs some more work in the bibliography.
 It's pretty good though.  I like it.
But now I am tired. I am going to take a nap and recover from all the bad things I did to be able to get all those words out of my head.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

And so it goes

RIP Robin Williams
The man mainlined mania. And everyone laughed.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Zombie Recovery Room

How science is finding new ways to bring the dead back to life
Other researchers are looking into the role that hibernation could play in resuscitation. By examining the importance of hormones and metabolism in animals from the squirrel to the wood frog to the lemur (the only primate to hibernate), they hope to unlock the hidden hibernation abilities latent in us all.

“Some researchers think that maybe, someday, hibernation might also be a routine part of clinical care,” Casarett wrote.
Yeah maybe, but first you guys really should understand how very likely it is that will induce diabetes in your patients...

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Feature not a Bug

Sleeping pills in space: Astronauts are regular users

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that obsessive-compulsive hypervigilant perfectionists have chronic insomnia.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Seriously?

What's the best way to brush teeth? Even dentists and dental associations don't agree

Holey Teeth, Batman!!   You have got to be kidding me.

They only have two pieces of advice- Brush and Floss.
And they've never actually studied one of those?

This is where the cumulative power and intransigence of legacy medical advice is laid bare.
It really doesn't get more basic than this, does it?

Let me give you a hint- most of this stuff doesn't really matter.   They admit right here that it's acid that is the problem... and they never even mention gums.
Maintaining a proper pH and hydration in the mouth is what controls the microbes.
You should drink WHITE TEA after a meal.

While they go figure that out, something you really really should NOT do, is put a bunch of harsh chemicals in your mouth and use a hard twirling scrub brush on your most sensitive tissues.
That seems self evident.

Friday, August 8, 2014

The Right Stuff

Study shows type 2 diabetics can live longer than people without the disease
Patients treated with a drug widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes can live longer than people without the condition, a large-scale study involving over 180,000 people has shown.
The findings indicate that a drug known as metformin, used to control glucose levels in the body and already known to exhibit anticancer properties, could offer prognostic and prophylactic benefits to people without diabetes.
Unfortunately metformin is a generic drug, and lap-band surgery makes gobs of money, so I will predict this evidence will be actively ignored for as long as possible.

I really think this drug has the potential to be an effective primary treatment for narcolepsy.
Testing it should be the first order of business for the narcolepsy research community.

Yo Psychs

US hospitals see big rise in drug-related suicide attempts
Overall, suicide attempts involving prescription medications and other drugs jumped by 51 percent among people 12 and older between 2005 and 2011, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In two reports, the agency examines trends in ER visits for drug-related suicide attempts. The most significant increases occurred among adults younger than 30—up 58 percent over the six years studied—and people between 45 and 64, who experienced a 104 percent spike in drug-related suicide attempts.
"We probably are seeing an increase in overall suicide attempts, and along with that we are also seeing an increase in drug-related suicide attempts," said Peter Delany, director of the agency's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality.
"People have access to medications, and they are using both prescription and over-the-counter meds," he said. "It is clear that there are more drugs out there."
Your fault. 100%.  
Your incompetence kills people.
Not admitting your incompetence kills even more people.

Evidence Based Classification

Yes please.

New cancer classification system shows promise as lifesaver
Classifying cancer tumors by their molecular structure rather than the tissue or organ where they were found, such as the breast or bladder, may lead to more accurate diagnoses and potentially better treatments and outcomes for patients, a new study finds.
"The old system classifying cancer by the tissue of where it arose is outdated. It's been in existence for over 100 years now, and we know it doesn't merit the true nature of the cancer," said Dr. Christopher Benz...
They found that in many of the cancer types, such as an aggressive form of brain tumor known as glioblastoma and a type of leukemia, the tumor samples matched up well with the tissue classifications, suggesting that a tumor's location is still important for certain types of cancers.
But with other cancer types, tumor samples on a molecular level appeared to look more like unrelated cancers. For example, a significant number of squamous head-and-neck cancers looked more like some squamous-cell cancers found in the lung.
"How we use that information for treatment is anybody's guess right now," said Josh Stuart, professor of biomolecular engineering at UC Santa Cruz and a senior author of the paper.
Well Josh, let me guess for you- those cancers are caused by the same microbes no matter what tissue they land in. And most of them are periodontal pathogens.
Just guessing.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Edward Selby

Anorexia Is Often Fueled By Positive Emotions, Pride About Weight Loss
"What we think happens is that positive emotions become exaggerated and are rewarding these maladaptive behaviors" said the study author.
Yes well, you are full of shit.  The fact that they aren't producing all kinds of insulin actually does make them feel better, all over.  
Selby added that only about one-third of women recover after treatment.
And that's because they are told to do things that intensify the underlying hyperinsulinemia, asshole.
You also tell them bullshit like they really don't feel better when they stop eating, that it is  merely a symptom of the pathology, a figment of their imaginations.

You've got it wrong and you make it worse.
That is what I call maladaptive behavior.

Go fk yourself.

Brain Saving Information of the Day

Link between vitamin D deficiency and dementia risk confirmed

Put some in your head, please.

The Voices Say

Caffeine intake associated with lower incidence of tinnitus
Specifically, researchers report that when compared with women with caffeine intake less than 150 milligrams/day (approximately one and a half 8-ounce cups of coffee), the incidence of reported tinnitus was 15 percent lower among those women who consumed 450 to 599 mg/day of caffeine. The majority of caffeine consumed among the women was from coffee and the results did not vary by age.
"The reason behind this observed association is unclear," said Curhan. "We know that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, and previous research has demonstrated that caffeine has a direct effect on the inner ear in both bench science and animal studies. Researchers note that further evidence is needed to make any recommendations about whether the addition of caffeine would improve tinnitus symptoms.
Yes, well caffeine is one of my favorite things, but the reason coffee lessens neuralgia of the auditory branch of the trigeminal nerve- which causes the aberrant sensations- is because it's antimicrobial.
It's antibacterial and antifungal and people who drink coffee have less dental decay.
For the record, brushing your teeth with baking soda works even better...

Update:  ooh the glucose stabilizing effects probably help too...
Hearing Loss Is Common in People with Diabetes 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Pop Quiz

Grizzly bears become 'diabetic' when they hibernate
As the bears put on weight in preparation for the winter, they responded normally to insulin – which prevents the breakdown of fatty tissue. But during hibernation, insulin effectively stopped working. That is a symptom in people with type 2 diabetes, in which high fat levels in the blood induce insulin resistance.
This insulin resistance allows the bears to break down their fat stores throughout hibernation, when they will not eat, drink or defecate for up to seven months. They survive on their fat before waking up, and begin to respond normally to insulin when they start to feed again.
"Diabetes and obesity may exist naturally on opposite ends of the metabolic spectrum," says co-author Kevin Corbit of biotechnology firm Amgen in Thousand Oaks, California. "The cellular mechanisms that could be protecting people from diabetes, and the mechanisms leading to diabetes in other patients, may also be what protects them from becoming obese."

The results suggest there is a chemical pathway involved in altering sensitivity to insulin. This pathway could hold the key for developing treatments for type 2 diabetes.
Hmmmm.  What could it possibly be?

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

John Anderson, wannabe psychologist

Older adults have morning brains
"Time of day really does matter when testing older adults. This age group is more focused and better able to ignore distraction in the morning than in the afternoon"
Yes, well my observations indicate that older adults get up in the morning and then pretty much eat carbs all day.
And they are on a bunch of drugs that impair their metabolism even more.
And then they have a couple cocktails.
And then they sleep it off and start over the next day.
Asked how his team's findings may be useful to older adults in their daily activities, Anderson recommended that older adults try to schedule their most mentally-challenging tasks for the morning time. Those tasks could include doing taxes, taking a test (such as a driver's license renewal), seeing a doctor about a new condition, or cooking an unfamiliar recipe.
Yes of course he does.  Because psychology is not about ameliorating cognitive problems- it's about giving advice to impaired people.  No impaired people, no job...

Monday, August 4, 2014

Brain Eating Zombies of the Day

Cigna, my health insurance provider just sent me a letter telling me I need to be "Well Informed."   Their version of "well informed" is to tell me I need a mammogram.
"Experts recommend that women who are over 50 years old get a mammogram every one to two years.  That's because small breast tumors can be seen on a mammograme before they can be felt by a woman or her health care professional."

First of all, their "experts" are people who just happen to make money off this test.
Secondly, the long term studies show that finding small tumors via mammography DOES NOT alter survivability, adds to your radioactive burden,  and often results in unnecessary surgical procedures.

It's a good thing I am Well Informed.

Just Thinkin

Guns are probably not the best therapy for panic attacks.

Meet your Enemies

Careless use of drugs bred baby-threatening germ
Today's strain of Streptococcus agalactiae results from massive over-use of tetracycline in the post-World War II antibiotics boom, they reported in the journal Nature Communications on Monday.
Strains of the microbe that were sensitive to tetracycline were wiped out, leaving behind a dominant, resistant superstrain that is dangerous for newborn babies without careful preventive care.
Called Group B Strep (GBS), infection can lead to potentially fatal pneumonia, meningitis and blood infection.
"The use of tetracycline from 1948 onwards led in humans to the complete replacement of a diverse GBS population by only (a) few tetracycline-resistant clones, particularly well adapted to their host," the paper said.
Here, have some azithromycin instead.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Bwa ha ha ha ha

Sleeping Beauty Is A Sleeping Menace

This is Why

Hyperinsulinemia is beneficial if you are starving.
Thus our ancestors survived.
Thus we all exist.

Nag Nag Nag

This is just a reminder that you should write and submit a testimonial for Christina's new website.

Thanks!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Fun with Zombies

Trained Mouse Rings "Doorbell"

Seriously?
Who's training who?

Scary.  She just cut out the toxoplasmosis middleman.

This is their ultimate plan.   
Now the internet is going to be all mouse videos.
Pinky and the Brain.  Ha.

This Librarian Says

The Secret to Living a Longer, Happier Life
Not trusting observational studies that make claims they can’t possibly prove.

One of my all-time favorite quotes in there.

A little more technical.
Media Coverage of Medical Journals: Do the Best Articles Make the News? 
Newspapers were more likely to cover observational studies and less likely to cover randomized controlled trials than high impact journals. Additionally, when the media does cover observational studies, they select articles of inferior quality. Newspapers preferentially cover medical research with weaker methodology.

Testing for Testing's Sake

Could a blood test gauge your risk of suicide?

Yes, maybe, but not this one.

This gene test might determine some kind of overall lifetime risk, but it won't be sensitive enough for immediate assessment.  
Psychologists are already perfectly capable of guessing wrong.

If they really want to check blood for acute suicidal tendencies, they should try testing for bacteremia.  Bacteria in the blood drastically reduces orexin levels while raising cortisol levels- which can cause depressive panic attacks.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Alex Henderson

10 reasons America is morbidly obese

The ONE reason Americans are morbidly obese, and that he doesn't even mention,  is because we have been told for 35 years that low-fat eating will help us lose weight, which is the opposite of how metabolism works.
Period. The End.

Not Surprising

Obamacare Dividends Pile Up for Hospitals and Insurers

What is shocking.... that they haven't got enough clout to shut up the republicans... they clearly need this money to lobby harder...

Oh Mercy

Mysterious woman in black finishes her silent pilgrimage,
Even under the hood I can see her trigeminal neuralgia.
Somebody please help that woman.   She needs very gentle dental care.