Birthday Blog

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200103 This is a PLOS ONE research article in which researchers weighted data from two independent surveys with census data to come up with the conclusion that 65% of Americans think that they are "above average" in intelligence. There have been problems with the generalizability of data collections in surveys showing the :greater than average" effect. Intelligence is normally distributed throughout the population and not skewed like other desirable traits. Researchers used a bunch of different types of surveys (telephone, online) weighted to the US census (2010). 65% agreed wih statement "I am more intelligent than the average person" as a conservative estimate. The survey concluded that college graduates slightly underestimated their relative intelligence whereas undereducated  people overestimated thier relative intelligence.








 https://www.statnews.com/2018/07/20/fda-approves-agios-first-in-class-leukemia-treatment/
This is an article from STAT news about a first-in-class leukemia drug approved by the FDA. It treats refractory AML sufferers from whhich possess a mutation in the gene IDH1. The drug received "orphan drug" status and the price for a monthly supply is about  $26,000. 30% of people in clinical trails saw their disease go into complete remission.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/well/chemicals-food-children-health.html An article from NYT reporting on an AAP issuance of new guidelines for exposure of young children to plastics in food containers, exposure of pregnant women to processed meats and consumption of fresh foods and vegetables over processed food. This revision of guidelines has been influence by other professional groups in response to scientific evidence pointing to exposure to certain chemicals in foods as a culprit in interfering with development. Nitrates and nitrites in meat products, phthalates in plastics and bisphenols in metal cans have been identified as well as PFCs used in grease-proof  paper and perchlorates, used in plastic packaging.  Wrap foods in wax paper instead of plastic wrap and avoid canned and processed food is a take-home from the article. Some of these chemicals interfere with or block hormone function.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/science/genes-education.html An article in NYT about a study reported in Nature Genetics on how genes affect how people do in school. The study found that many of the genetic variants implicated in educational attainment are involved in how neurons communicate in the brain. Genetic sequencing was done on over 1 million people, mostly white and of European descent. One of the study's finding were that certain genetic variants were found among found in people who finished school compared with those who left school early and those variants were involved with helping neurons form connections in the brain. The researchers figured out how to calculated a "genetic score" for educational success.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/opinion/spider-in-my-life.html This is an opinion of sorts by Margaret Renkl in the NYT about the spider in her family room. When your "world has lost its center" the spider provides a source of stability. Surprise; we are talking about politics. Ms. Renkl takes comfort in one small spider in a well-written piece reminiscent of many writers using nature metaphorically.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/style/sperm-count.html This is an article in the STYLE section of the NYT about the declining numbers of sperm in American males. A metaanalysis of 185 st. udies last summer concluded that sperm numbers have declined in a generation. Are men being feminized? Does lifestyle matter? Is there birth control in the water supply? A fertility start up company sells a sperm activity test because, in terms of fertilization, the sperm's ability to move is critical. There is also an app to watch your sperm move under a microscope live streamed on your phone. (I guess that's why it is in the style section.) Call this article "Semen Variations".







https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html Article from the NYT about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. The 1973 law had seen few changes in 30 years. The deputy Secretary of the Interior claims that the changes to the law will streamline it, improving the regulatory process and providing more protection thereby. Environmental activists protest that the changes will set more species on the path to extinction. The Trump administration is also set to roll back the National Environmental Policy Act which lays out the policy that federal agencies must follow when planing infrastructure projects.





http://www.philly.com/philly/health/depression-treatment-blood-test-acetyl-l-carnatine-20180731.html Article in the inquirer about a new biomarker for depression which may be used in drug development to come up with a new mechanism. The biomarker is acetyl-L-carnitine, which is a product of cellular metabolism. Allegedly, things like childhood neglect contribute to the level of acetyl-L-carnitine and the publication indicates a correlation between the biomarker and severity of depression. I will need to be convinced of this before believing it.


https://www.sciencealert.com/having-children-makes-women-s-dna-cells-age-equivalent-11-years-telomeres  From Science Alert a report of a study in Human Reproduction about a sampling of DNA from nearly 2000 reproductive aged women which showed that that women who had given birth to at least one child had telomeres that were 4.2 percent shorter on average than those of women who had not borne children.e who had given birth had altered telomeres, a mark of cellular aging. It could mean that giving birth to one child is equivalent to 4.5 years of cellular aging.

99 degrees and counting

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/fear-of-math-is-harmful-to-your-health-this-woman-wants-to-help-20180629.html  An article from the Philadelphia Inquirer from a scholar at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania who is writing a book about the effects of innumeracy. Quoted from the article, "According to data reported in 2013, almost a third of the U.S. adult population can do only simple operations with numbers — they can count, sort, and do simple arithmetic. If you translate that into the current U.S. adult population, there are about 73 million people who can do up to only basic problems with numbers."  That means they also understand less in terms of how to take a missed dose of medicine (it says to do so on some medications), and also tends to mean that they rely on anecdotal information, which could have no bearing on their own circumstances. People who have diabetes also have to modify their insulin dosages based on their glucose levels and innumeracy make it complex. They also must read meters and other devices. Many people don't know what relative risk is compared to absolute risk and not understand that doubling one's risk could mean 20% to 40% or mean 0.01% to 0.02%, which is negligible.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/science/youtube-science-women.html An article from the NYT about  comments left on youtube videos made by women. In a paper published in the JOurnal for the Public Understanding of Science women depicted drew more comments per view than men and more critical comments on their appearance. Some of the researchers' findings echoed a 2014 TED talks study in which it was reported that "when the presenter was a woman, 15.28 percent of comments were about her as opposed to the talk, when the speaker was a man, only 9.84 percent of comments were about him." This is having a discouraging effect on women who wish to make videos on a professional of semiprofessional level, according to the article and study.




http://www.philly.com/philly/health/depression-medication-genetic-test-genomind-anxiety-adhd-20171026.html This is an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about a new genetic test for resistance to depression medications. It is called the Genomid Genecept  Assay test. It is better at predicting whether a medication will not work. It uses a proprietary algorithm to analyse 12 different genes to weight their combined effects on patient response to more than 55 different medications.  Some pharmacists will be trained to counsel patients if they see a pattern of unresponsiveness to treatments. There is a type of treatment called TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) or else electrocution therapy (ECT) is used typically used for patients unresponsive to medication.