Drug Donations

Here is an interesting editorial from the WHO newsletter on the impacts and need for regulation of drug donations. I guess I've never thought about it, but this article argues that drug donations may be a way for drug companies to get tax exemptions and rid themselves of outdated or surplus drugs (and avoid the costs associated with disposing drugs safely and correctly). I think this article is an intersting perspective, and well worth a read.

Gene-environment interactions

Interestingly, it is not only our genome that can determine who we are, but how these genes are expressed. An area of particular interest to me, is that of how controlled factors (diet, exercise, etc.) might influence this expression. I came across an interesting faculty research webpage of Frances Champagne, who studies how early life experiences may affect gene expressions and, ultimately, how these expression patterns might influence reproductive, social and addictive behaviours later in life.

Carbon Nanotubes... and Asbestos?

I've heard a lot about carbon nanotubes in the past 8 years, and how these, along with all of nanotechnology, are to revolutionize medicine and technology.

While running yesterday, I was listening to NPR. The program was about governmental regulations on nanotechnology or, essentially, the lack of laws and regulations and studies on safety of nanotechnologies. An example of nanotechnology holding great promise, but which might suffer from adverse effects to humans and the environment, is Carbon Nanotubes.

A team of scientists published an article in Nature Nanotechnology (3, 423 - 428; Published online: 20 May 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.111) that concludes that carbon nanotubes have asbestos-like behavior. Andrew Maynard, a co-author on this paper, describes the study:

It looks at a specific nanoscale material expected to have widespread commercial applications and asks specific questions about a specific health hazard. Even though scientists have been raising concerns about the safety of long, thin carbon nanotubes for over a decade, none of the research needs in the current U.S. federal nanotechnology environment, health and safety risk research strategy address this question.”

Although nanotechnology will undoubtedly provide the tools to progress in many facets of technology and medicine, studies such as this should be commonplace, government regulations should be in place to try to understand and ensure safe and effective means for controlling any unwanted effects.

Plastic

Here is an interesting article in BBC about a woman who is trying to cut plastic out of her lifestyle for the month of August.

It really gets you thinking about all the items (and "disposable" items, at that) that we use everyday.

Enjoy!

Exercise in a Pill

OK, now check out this synopsis of a recent article in the journal Cell.

I found this article to be:
Interesting: that scientists can control endurance by targeting a receptor
Funny: that researchers would investigate ways to enhance endurance with a pill
and, lastly,
Sad: at the thought of (1) sedentary people relying on such a pill and (2) endurance athletes cheating with this type of pill.

So, there you go....