Autism researchers shifting away from genes - Scoliosis next?

[Pooka1]

The abstract failed to mention the immense pressure to publish data in order to keep one's job.

p

Yes it did. Maybe that is one reason why their published report was false (if it is). There are several others reason that have been identified.

Rather than being surprised/shocked/amazed/etc. that even major research results are later shown to be false, it should garner a yawn at this point.

Still, compared to bench research, it is far easier to sit back in a lay armchair and self-satifyingly criticize and deride individual reports from people who at least tried to do the hard work of finding the correct answer.

In general though not always, it is easier to rule things out than to show a positive result. That's the way science works... ruling out incorrect answers and hopefully the most correct answer that captures the most data in hand is left standing. And still that may not be the right answer. As unsatisfying as that may seem, science is still the only game in town for actually knowing anything.

[Dingo]

That's the truth

PNUTTRO just hit on something that is quite relevant.

The abstract failed to mention the immense pressure to publish data in order to keep one's job.

Not long ago genes were the hot new thing. A tsunami of funding was allocated for genetic research and almost overnight every disease became a "genetic disease". For example until very recently 90% of all Autism research dollars went towards genetics.

Scientists are in a no-win situation. Heritable genes aren't a likely candidate for most childhood illnesses. But since that's where the money is that's what scientists are forced to publish on.

[concerned dad]

When I read that story yesterday about the study refuting the earlier study showing a genetic and depression link it immediately made me think of Dingo.



also, as an aside,

But since that's where the money is that's what scientists are forced to publish on.

Hmmm, what does this sound like? Any other "Hot" fields of study drawing attention and research dollars now?

[Dingo]

Concerned Dad

When I read that story yesterday about the study refuting the earlier study showing a genetic and depression link it immediately made me think of Dingo.

Someday, perhaps ten years from now or more scientists will announce that Scoliosis is triggered by a microbe. On that day please remember the name Dingo.

Any other "Hot" fields of study drawing attention and research dollars now?

Alright, I give. What's the hot field right now? Scoliscore?

[concerned dad]

Someday, perhaps ten years from now or more scientists will announce that Scoliosis is triggered by a microbe. On that day please remember the name Dingo.

Maybe we can all meet back here then and have a reunion.

Alright, I give. What's the hot field right now?

Don’t want to say it publicly because it is decidedly OT, controversial, and I may loose whatever little credibility I have. But I gave you a “hint” in the sentence you quoted.

[Ballet Mom]

Must be global warming!

[concerned dad]

[Dingo]

good thinking Ballet Mom

Must be global warming!

Personally I think global warming is silly. However even if it's true there is every reason to believe that robots will take over the planet long before global warming has any measurable impact.

[concerned dad]

Moving back on topic, I saw this today


Research uncovers clues to virus-cancer link

[Pooka1]

also, as an aside,

Hmmm, what does this sound like? Any other "Hot" fields of study drawing attention and research dollars now?

Simmer down, mister.

[Pooka1]

Moving back on topic, I saw this today


Research uncovers clues to virus-cancer link

This result is most likely false and I can prove it.

[Dingo]

virus-cancer link

Good find CD!

From your link

Dirk Dittmer, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology at UNC’s School of Medicine, demonstrated that the Kaposi sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is not only present in every tumor cell, but that the cells also transcribe microRNAs (miRNA) from the virus.

For the most part illness has to work that way, ESPECIALLY in young people and children. Children don't spontaneously "get sick" because they have a gene. When someone is either mentally or physically ill something biologically destructive happened to them.

If you bet that way you'll be right 99% of the time.

Scoliosis hits some families particularly hard. That should give scientists a strong clue as to what the environmental component is.

[Dingo]

a tale of two infections

Peptic Ulcer Bacterium Alters The Body's Defense System

Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes ulcers (and stomach cancer) compromises the human immune system by reprogramming it to become less effective. This enables H Pylori to become a chronic infection and survive inside our bodies for a lifetime.

Couple that with this recent news story

Viral Infection Might Trigger High Blood Pressure

New evidence indicates that CMV infection (a type of herpes) triggers high blood pressure.

CMV infection is widespread, Crumpacker noted. Studies indicate that between 60 percent and 99 percent of adults worldwide are infected, according to the study. But aside from pregnancy, where CMV infection is associated with serious birth defects, it causes no problems for most adults "until they get something that compromises the immune system," he noted.

Long story short
There is no telling how many different infections and combinations of infections trigger chronic, health problems. Not long ago doctors believed that ulcers and high blood pressure were caused primarily by factors like diet, lifestyle and heredity.

Today many people believe that Scoliosis is caused by heredity. If history is any guide interest in heredity will recede and the environment will become the primary area of focus for Scoliosis researchers.

[Dingo]

Schizophrenia genes discovered!!!

The genes that cause Schizophrenia have been discovered!

... or have they?

Each mutation on its own increased the risk of developing schizophrenia by about 0.2 per cent but collectively they were found to account for at least a third of the total risk of developing schizophrenia.

As per usual we're talking about genetic risk factors.

The condition is known to have a strong inherited component, accounting for about 80 per cent of the total risk, but it is also influenced by upbringing and environment.

80% wait, what? Ok, I'm probably missing something but moving along...

Some of the genetic variations associated with schizophrenia appear to occur within a region of the genome known to be involved in controlling the immune system.

No kidding!

This might help to explain why babies born in winter and spring when influenza is rife, or to women who have had flu during pregnancy, are at slightly increased risk of developing schizophrenia in later life, the scientists said.

Slightly increased risk? Flu virus is a significant cause of Schizophrenia.

Maternal Flu Linked To Schizophrenia, Autism In Child

Since schizophrenia and autism have a strong (though elusive) genetic component, there is no absolute certainty that infection will cause the disorders in a given case, but it is believed that as many as 21 percent of known cases of schizophrenia may have been triggered in this way.

It's no wonder that Schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are more common in dense urban areas.

Study Shows Role of Time and Place of Birth in Schizophrenia

People born in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, were 2.4 times as likely to develop schizophrenia as those born in rural areas, the study found. February and March were the months of birth associated with the highest risk; August and September were associated with the lowest risk.

[Dingo]

virus linked to skin cancer

Virus Linked To Some Cases Of Common Skin Cancer

They identified the virus in more than a third of the patients and in 15 percent of the tumors tested. In addition, all of the virus found in tumor cells had a mutation that could enable the viral DNA to integrate into the DNA of the host cell.

Originally it was thought that this virus caused only this rare skin cancer, but our findings indicate that it is a lot more prevalent than we initially thought.

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Don't be surprised if scientists eventually discover that people with a particular gene are susceptible to this virus for reasons they may never understand. That's how stuff works.