Instead of punishing U.S. oil producers, policymakers should seek scientific, evidence-based solutions to climate change that don't sacrifice U.S. economic growth and prosperity.
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Electronic Health Records (EHRs) were once hailed as the solution to streamlining healthcare processes, but their implementation has brought forth a host of challenges. From increased work burden and clinician burnout to facilitated medical errors, the journey of EHRs has been tumultuous. With billions of dollars invested and a staggering increase in adoption rates, we find ourselves retrofitting the system. But this isn't just about optimizing technology; it's about preserving the heart of healthcare.
"Fool's gold" (pyrite) is nice to look at, but not especially useful. That could change if the findings of a small study hold up. Unexpectedly higher levels of lithium – an element that's in enormous demand – were found in pyrite. This could be both beneficial environmentally and economically. Plus, a gratuitous shot at crystal healers, just for yuks.
Two extensive longitudinal studies are heralded as unveiling the common “truth” that ultra-processed foods hasten our mortality. However, before embracing that kale smoothie, ultra-processed foods may not be the villains portrayed in the media we've been led to believe. Here's why.
"Jumping genes" are not a new type of leisure wear. They are integral components of the genetic-epigenetic continuum and the “genetic” expression of traits, biological or temperamental. The critical discovery that these chromosomal parts can move – impacting their expression - owes to the mystically inspired work of Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock.
Most health scares you see in the headlines are generated by low-grade epidemiology research that correlates food or chemical exposures with negative health outcomes. A recent review employing a new analytical tool highlighted some of the critical problems in this research by looking at studies reporting health risks linked to red meat consumption. Let's take a look at the findings.
Mental health medications are a blessing to many people. But they sometimes come with undesirable side effects, including significant weight gain. A recent study suggests that a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet could help some patients manage their weight while taking psychiatric drugs. Let's take a closer look at the results.
Although nutrition has made significant advances in recent years — such as recognizing the harm caused by trans fats — it’s surprising that, even within the academic field, there’s still ongoing debate about the most efficient diet. (Spoiler alert: any of them can work as long as a diet aligns with your preferences and allows for greater consistency.)
Another view of peer review
Automating the lawyers
As I grow old, I jettison the unnecessary
Sleep is not just for humans and other living creatures
The fragmented U.S. water infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The EPA, lacking the tools under the Safe Drinking Water Act to proactively attack the problem comprehensively, has shifted to a reactive enforcement approach. However, much more is needed to counter such a fundamental threat to our nation’s infrastructure.
More and more cases which require an understanding of complex scientific issues are being tried in the courts of this nation. Often the scientific questions that come before a court are on the cutting edge of scientific knowledge. In other cases, the tested theories of mainstream science are in conflict with the hypotheses of researchers who perhaps do not follow traditional methods.
Dr. Whelan presented this speech on November 10, 1992 upon her acceptance of the Calver Award presenter by the Environmental Division of the American Public Health Association.
This lecture pays tribute to Homer Calver and his crusade against premature death and disease during the first decades of this century. Calver's greatness came because of the time in which he lived.
The relationship between nutrition and health is complex and cannot be described in a set of simple rules. However, simplistic half-truths are dominating public perception and shaping policies concerning our food and the nature of our diet. For example, a recent ad campaign depicted saturated fats as poisons and accused several American food companies of poisoning America because they use tropical oils and beef tallow. The person behind this ad campaign has no formal training in nutrition or medicine, but has forced major companies to reformulate their products.
Chlorine, one of the 20 or so elements found in abundance in all living things, is under attack. Environmentalists have tried to condemn many man-made chlorine products as hazardous and have called for the government to ban them. However, chlorine is not only a constituent of man-made products but also is found in abundance in nature in the same formulations. It could no more easily be banned than sunlight or aflatoxin, a natural carcinogen produced by mold.
This report is a revised and updated version of a report on diet and cancer published by ACSH in 1985. The original report was written by Michael W. Pariza, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, an ACSH Scientific Advisor. The new edition was prepared by Kathleen Meister, M.S., a free-lance medical writer and former ACSH Research Associate.
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People burdened with extra body fat know all too well that one size doesn t fit all especially when it comes to weight loss. Many are hoping, though, that today s rapidly progressing research on the genetics of obesity will produce a one-size-fits-all approach to slimming down their bulging curves. But as exciting as this research is, the unfortunate reality is that most overweight people won t be able to squeeze a solution out of it.
The role of diet in the development of cancer has been the focus of much scientific research during the past decade. Researchers now know that high intakes of certain naturally occurring dietary chemicals increase our risk of cancer. Such chemicals include benzo(a)pyrene (found in charcoal-broiled meat), aflatoxin (found in peanuts), and certain hydrazines (found in edible mushrooms). But scientists studying the chemical makeup of the human diet have also identified some naturally occurring anticancer chemicals. One looks especially promising.
Conjugate Bliss?
Americans are embracing dietary supplements like never before. Last year we spent over $5 billion on compounds ranging from ordinary multivitamins to exotic herbal products. We hope they'll prevent or cure our ills, put us to sleep or make us alert, turn us into powerful athletes or help us shed pounds without decreasing our caloric intake or exercising more.
Since many supplements are touted as "natural," we assume that they must be safe. But swallowing all these pills and powders has resulted in some tragedies:
This is a letter to my next "self," and maybe to multiple "selves." I've assumed that I'll be cloned eventually, that my clone will be cloned, and so on. Because such iterations are like a scientific variation of reincarnation, it's only proper that I try to pass on the accumulated knowledge of a lifetime. It would be nice if you future Todds have some idea of what the first one learned, to give you a head start (you won't, needless to say, share my memories or live in an environment identical to mine).
Scientists from the American Council on Science and Health confirmed today that the Liggett Group settlement is not the public health victory it appears, contrary to the near-universal positive response from the rest of the public health community.
Physicians and scientists at the American Council on Science and Health reported today that some much-touted concerns about the safety of commercial baby food are, in fact, unwarranted.
The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) today opposed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s proposed changes to ambient air quality standards for ozone and its adoption of a standard for "fine" particulate matter (referred to as "PM2.5"). ACSH President Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan declared that "there is no public health benefit to be gained from the proposed stricter standards. Furthermore, adoption of the proposed standards will place severe economic burdens on hundreds of counties throughout the U.S. and on U.S.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Jon Franklin has spoken out to condemn the scare tactics practiced by today's journalists. In a pulls-no-punches lead story in the latest issue of Priorities, the quarterly magazine of the American Council on Science and Health, Franklin exposes what he terms the "Poisons of the Mind"-those "lies, illusions and poison paranoias" that so often grip our society." ACSH President Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan has remarked: "Jon Franklin's panoramic essay is therapy for technophobes and a treat for skeptics."
Scientists associated with the American Council on Science and Health today characterized the soon-to-be-announced proposals by the Clinton Administration to reduce teen smoking as more smoke than substance, saying that the measures would do little or nothing to improve public health or prevent children from taking up the smoking habit.
Pagination
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