The Price of Doing Business

Johnson & Johnson to pay $2.2 billion to end U.S. drug probes 

In one of the largest health care fraud settlements in U.S. history, Johnson & Johnson will pay $2.2 billion to end civil and criminal investigations into kickbacks to pharmacists and the marketing of pharmaceuticals for off-label uses, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Monday.

From 1999 through 2005, J&J and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc promoted Risperdal for unapproved uses, including controlling aggression and anxiety in elderly dementia patients and treating behavioral disturbances in children and in individuals with disabilities, according to the complaint.

Johnson & Johnson's conduct "recklessly put at risk" the health of children, dementia patients and others to whom the drug was prescribed at a time it was only approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat schizophrenia, Holder said.

Just thought I would remind y'all that your good buddies over at Jazz are using their billions to nullify this law so they can sell their evil shit to all kinds of mentally impaired people without testing it first.

Bwa ha ha ha ha

Zombie shopping

Brain Eating Zombies of the Day

The American Heart Association.   All Day.  Every Day.

Brushing your teeth could prevent heart disease

Taking care of your gums by brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits could help hold heart disease at bay. Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have shown for the first time that as gum health improves, progression of atherosclerosis slows to a clinically significant degree. Findings appear online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Yes, well your experiment does not clarify how those people with periodontal disease improved their condition. The standard treatment of acute periodontitis is chlorhexidine rinse and antibiotics, NOT brushing and flossing, which are clearly inadequate given the amount of atherosclerosis and dental pathology in this country.

Nice try, AHA and ADA.  SSDD.

Seriously

Scientists reduce behaviours associated with problem gambling in rats

This is a rather complex experiment, because first they have to make rats with gambling problems...
But the crucial sentence is at the end-

The D4 blocker drug used in the study has previously been tested on humans in attempts to treat behaviour disorders like schizophrenia but appeared to have no effect.

They have a drug.  They Must. Find. Someone. To. Sell. It. To.

Unfortunately for them-  compulsive Humans have been shown to have problems with their D2 receptors.

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Michael Kimmel

Why is it always a white guy: The roots of modern, violent rage 

He wrote an entire book about how the decline of white male power makes these guys angry.  Even though most of them are too young to remember white male dominance...

The fact is, caucasians are genetically much more likely to suffer from streptococcal infections.  And sugar consumption is at an all time high.   And young men are notorious about avoiding seeking health care unless their eyes are bleeding...

Holmes exhibits symptoms of Tourettes,  most of the rest show symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia. 

Dia de los Muertos

My housewarming gift to myself.   Zombie Ranching.

And my "costume".

For some reason, that reminds me

Back in the day- back when it was really bad-
I used to lie on the floor crying and think-  "I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I'm doing field research..."

My apologies

For neglecting this blog.   I know it seems like I don't do anything, but really, I'm thinking super hard right now.   All this cleaning must have kick-started my brain.    Really Good Things coming.  

Rock and Roll Heaven

The greatest love song ever written.

Rest in Peace, dear man.

As I was Saying

The first basic principle: Each person has their own combination of immune genes.
Some people are more susceptible to infections in general.
Others are susceptible to specific pathogens.

Scientists Discover Genetic Disease That Causes Recurrent Respiratory Infections

Know Hope

These are Days.

Just a Reminder

A sociopath chooses the path of plausible deniability.

Dear Dr. Dreamy

Thanks for contacting me.
One of the reasons I moved to Arizona is because it is sunny, warm and dry and a good climate for a person with darkness sensitivity, no brown fat and recurring respiratory infections.  The other reason is because it swarming with "medical professionals" making lots of money off the people like me who end up here when they're sick and tired.

I didn't realize that was your crazy clinic up there in the hills, but yeah- I have every intention of putting you out of business. 
You still want to hear my thoughts on Narcolepsy?

Old Song of the Day

I had to.

Cerebral Pile Management

Busy Brain Cleans House While You Sleep

If only it would clean this kitchen... I'm using a scraper and acetone here...

Interesting

Neanderthals Used Toothpicks to Alleviate the Pain of Diseases Related to Teeth

State of the New Kitchen

There is much pile management in my future.

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Edward Archer, who also gets to be Maniac of the Day.   Our first double winner.  Congratulations.

40 Years of Federal Nutrition Research Fatally Flawed, Study Finds 

The study examined data from 28,993 men and 34,369 women, 20 to 74 years old, from NHANES I (1971 -- 1974) through NHANES (2009 -- 2010), and looked at the caloric intake of the participants and their energy expenditure, predicted by height, weight, age and sex. The results show that -- based on the self-reported recall of food and beverages -- the vast majority of the NHANES data "are physiologically implausible, and therefore invalid," Archer said.
In other words, the "calories in" reported by participants and the "calories out," don't add up and it would be impossible to survive on most of the reported energy intakes. This misreporting of energy intake varied among participants, and was greatest in obese men and women who underreported their intake by an average 25 percent and 41 percent (i.e., 716 and 856 Calories per-day respectively).
"Throughout its history, the NHANES survey has failed to provide accurate estimates of the habitual caloric consumption of the U.S. population," Archer said. "Although improvements were made to the NHANES measurement protocol after 1980, there was little improvement to the validity of U.S. nutritional surveillance."

The data does not conform to the model so throw out the data.
It didn't occur to you that might be a hasty assumption?

No, because fat people are clearly unreliable.   Your bias is showing, smarty pants.

Doctor Assisted Dieting

Weight Loss Through Use of Intestinal Barrier Sleeves

Their vision of your future: eat a condom.

Zombies vs Congress

Voters Like Zombies, Hemorrhoids, And Dog Poop More Than Congress

By Request

Lori asked me to look into this right before I moved.

The Wakeup Diet for narcolepsy.

As far as I can tell it's a manic collection of correlations and assumptions.
No physiological explanations.  No mention of orexin.  No scientific citations.
And the author does not identify him/herself, either.

That's enough reason to ignore it.
But the suggestion that we should avoid coffee only proves this person has no idea what the hell they are talking about.

Hope that helps... sorry it took so long.

Brain Eating Zombie of the Day

Rebecca M. Pearson

Depression During Pregnancy Increases a Child’s Risk of Mood Disorders

While shared genetic risk is one potential explanation, Pearson said the physiological consequences of depression experienced by the mother can pass through the placenta and may influence the fetus' brain development. 

Ummm, there is nothing in your data that supports that conclusion.   A shared risk of hyperinsulinemia explains all of that.   Pregnancy amplifies insulin production even more.
Not to mention susceptibility to Strep infection is also heritable and pregnancy increases those too.

“We really don't want to scare pregnant women or make them feel guilty," Pearson said. "Nonetheless, the message is to prioritize your own mental state and seek help early in pregnancy if you are feeling low, both for your own sake and for your baby.”

Clever.   Deny your agenda while promoting it.   Downright Rovian.

Treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy—a kind of talk therapy—have been shown to help women with depression without the risk of side effects that comes with some psychoactive medications.

Cough-Bullshit-Cough.
It's completely ineffective in altering insulin levels.  Or infection levels  Or any other physiological mechanism.   STFU.

Correlation vs. Causation

Brain Mechanisms Behind a Debilitating Sleep Disorder

We have shown that the neuro-degeneration of the brain cells that synthesize the chemical hypocretin causes the noradrenaline system to malfunction. When the norandrenaline system stops working properly, it fails to keep the motor and cognitive systems coupled. This results in cataplexy -- the muscles fall asleep but the brain stays awake.

Methinks they may have missed a step...
Insulin induced hypoglycemia drastically reduces noradenaline levels.
(Hypotonia is a common and well documented symptom of hypoglycemia.)

And since their goal is another drug to sell you-
Caffeine counteracts reductions in the turnover of central noradrenaline.

See the Pathology

Explains a lot.

Maniacs Running the Asylum

Researchers find tests meant to predict future violence by psychopaths is less accurate than chance

Psychs can't predict violence, can't predict suicide, can't alleviate depression or anxiety or neurosis...
And yet people take them seriously.