Pharmacology

Starlings, Prozac, And Yorkshire

Will the medicines you take make their way back into your food?  They might, especially of you take your cue from an old Yorkshire song which deals with human recycling in the food chain, via worms and ducks.  Now, research [1] from the university of York ...

Article - Robert H Olley - Nov 8 2014 - 12:10pm

Giving Norovirus The Heave Ho?

Named after the location of first documented outbreak (Norwalk Ohio in 1968) norovirus, aka the "Stomach Flu," "Winter Vomiting Bug," or the "Cruise Ship Virus" is an evil little demon that spares no one. There are few, if any ...

Article - Josh Bloom - Nov 12 2014 - 3:05pm

Autophagy: Acute And Chronic Effects Of Treatment With Antidepressants

FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) is an Hsp90 co-chaperone and regulator of the glucocorticoid receptor, and consequently of stress physiology. It regulates acute and chronic effects of treatment with antidepressants via autophagic pathways (processes by ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 12 2014 - 12:00pm

Modafinil: If You Believe In 'Smart' Drugs, You Are Dumb

If surveys are accurate, up to 20 percent of students have taken Modafinil (Provigil), a psychostimulant embraced by "lifehackers" in the naturalistic crowd, to boost their ability to study and improve their chances of exam success.  It is claim ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 12 2014 - 3:26pm

Phthalates And Prostates: Endocrine Disruptors Shortening The Distance Between Male Anus And Penis

Men are becoming more effeminate. That is not news. If you watched the ESA's Rosetta mission arrive at Comet P67 you saw a tattoo-covered fellow talk about engineering and he looked manly, but two days later he was crying during a press conference bec ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Nov 18 2014 - 6:01am

So What's Wrong With Modern Drug Theory?

While the use of IC50’s is a huge problem in the biological sciences, Academia, Industry and Regulatory bodies have good reason to avoid the established field of enzyme kinetics. As I said in the last post, the problem with IC50 values is that they strip a ...

Article - Ryan Walsh - Nov 17 2014 - 7:53pm

Evergreening And How Drug Companies Keep Prices High

Pfizer's evergreening tactics have made it the target of protests. Michael Fleshman /Flickr, CC BY-SA By Hazel Moir, Australian National University and Deborah Gleeson, La Trobe University Efforts by pharmaceutical companies to extend their patents c ...

Article - The Conversation - Nov 16 2014 - 10:51am

Amoxicillin Linked To Diarrhea And Candidiasis

Diarrhea and candidiasis can result from taking the common antibiotic treatments, amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, although harms may be underreported, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 17 2014 - 1:09pm

Expert denial: 9 out of 10 Experts agree a superficial examination is all you need

While working on my latest post, I became quite distracted.  I’m a fan of the website retraction watch (everyone loves to gawk at the car accident), although in my opinion they really only skim the problems that permeate the sciences, and while following ...

Blog Post - Ryan Walsh - Nov 21 2014 - 6:05pm

50 Percent Of Patients Don't Take Prescription Medications According To Guidance

It's a story as old as medicine. When it comes to treatments, people don't always obey the written word. When it comes to antibiotics, for example, people may stop taking them when they feel better so they can save them for another incident.  Pr ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 22 2014 - 11:06am