February 22, 2012

Bacteria in Regular versus Silver-Impregnated Contact Lens Cases


A recent research study reported in IOVS (Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, a peer reviewed science journal) examined the numbers of bacteria found in regular contact lens storage cases versus silver impregnated cases. The researchers also compared the effects of keeping the cases wet or dry between uses.

February 16, 2012

Autism: seeds are planted long before immunizations

Seeds of Autism. Not the mysterious condition it used to be. New tools made possible by the human genome project are revealing its genetic nature.

Autism can exist as a broad spectrum of symptoms, some severe and some mild. Many functional adults are working in intense professions, such as medicine, and have difficulty making person to person eye contact; a relatively minor form of an autistic disorder. Some persons from a very young age are more profoundly affected and unable to interact with other people or their surroundings. This condition has alarmed our modern society as it became more well defined and more often diagnosed in children. An unfortunate set of statements by a UK physician over two decades ago speculated that some immunizations might be linked to the condition. This turned out to be theory and conjecture that was not derived from actual scientific study, but this theory has unfortunately taken off and sparked much controversy. Indeed, many families that avoid immunization programs will cite this theory as the the basis for their decision. I can certainly understand their concern, but should you worry about immunizations regarding autism?

The Science of World Micro-Finance.. we have the power.

Kiva is the organization you have read about in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and heard about on NPR, PBS and MSNBC. They let YOU disperse loans directly around the world and change lives, $25 at a time.

Welcome to my world financial empire, and to those of you who worry about the troubles you hear about around the globe, feeling hopeless helpless to make a difference: wake up. There is something you can do. You can have a direct impact on improving and empowering hard working honest men and women in places you may never see in your travels. You can directly choose who you help and see every cent of every dollar go where YOU want it to go!

February 15, 2012

Big genomes, little genomes, Madonna’s genome?


Genes tend to be surprisingly similar between many other organisms and humans.


Genomes are getting cheaper and cheaper to sequence with every passing day.
In 2010, I spent a day checking out the first SOLiD-3 analysis system installed at the University of Michigan, which was the first in the state of Michigan. Good thing, since I heard there are already three of these systems at the University of Toronto alone, in Ontario, Canada. Why is it a good thing to have this machine in the Cancer Center at U. Mich?