The Science Bandwagon and Middle School Kids

Passionate about making US high school students number one in science again?

Read about the Dream Tour presented by the ExxonMobil and Harris Foundations who have partnered on a creative national tour geared to engaging middle school students in science and technology.

Read more about the tour and then go to the Notebook.org and check out the website's reporting on the new school year in Philadelphia.

Novartis AG and a New Anti-Malaria Drug

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An experimental Novartis AG medicinethat killed drug-resistant malaria in laboratory studies maybecome the first new class of treatment against the disease in30 years, researchers said.

The drug cured mice at lower doses than existing medicinesand killed drug-resistant strains taken from patients inThailand, researchers said in the journal Science yesterday.Human trials of the drug are planned for this year.

“I would be extremely shocked if someone comes back andtells me that we’re not hitting the bug in humans,” saidThierry Diagana, who led the research at the Novartis Instituteof Tropical Diseases in Singapore ....

ADHD and Food

It's long been noted that there is some sort of link between what a child eats and his or her risk of ADHD. Saying MM's or a Snicker's bar is the problem is too easy. What's the physiological link? These three Digg posts offer some answers ...

Western diet link to ADHD

physorg.com— A new study from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows an association between ADHD and a 'Western-style' diet in adolescents.

Food Dyes Linked to Allergies, ADHD and Cancer: Group Calls

cbsnews.com— Dyes Widely Used in Cereals, Candies, and Other Products Targeted at Children present a "rainbow of risks" and can cause allergic reactions, hypera...

Attention Deficit Disorder | Adhd Natural | High Potassium

theadhdtreatment.com— Learn more about the attention deficit disorder,adhd children,symptoms of adhd,adhd natural,high potassium,vitamin information,stevia see which one...

In The Debate between MMR Vaccines and Autism, The Lancet Retracts Article on Controversial UK Physician

Matt Ford wrote on ArsTechnica.com that the editors of the British journal The Lancet reviewed the conclusions of a multiyear ethics investigation of UK doctor Andrew Wakefield performed by the General Medical Counsel (GMC) and then formally retracted a study which purported to find a link between the childhood MMR vaccine, gastrointestinal disease, and autism.

The article on Dr. Wakefield was published in 1998 and has been a source of international controversy in the pediatric community and among parents ever since. Ford wrote that much of the problems with the vaccines and autism can be traced to Wakefield's study.

"Wakefield was found to have acted unethically and conducted irresponsible research in coming to his—now thoroughly discredited—conclusions. According to Dr. Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, "It's the most appalling catalog and litany of some the most terrible behavior in any research and is therefore very clear that it has to be retracted."

Read more about the issue here.

Pharmaceutical Employers Struggling in Talent War for Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) in a Web 2.0 World

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A special report explains how corporate staffing consultants of pharmaceutical employers must have Competence, Chemistry, and Charisma when fighting the war for MSL talent. In a press release from 1888.com, it was reported that companies are shifting their recruiting burdens for field-based medical science liaisons.

"More MSL employers and specialty recruiters are coming to us and admitting that general job boards and social networks have become resource drains and time-wasters," said Dr. Jane Chin, author of the special report, 'Medical Science Liaison Recruiting: A Special Report for Corporate HR Sourcing MSLs in a Web 2.0 World.' "Social networks definitely have a role, but most MSL employers are leveraging social media and social networking incorrectly in the MSL recruiting game."


MSL Institute has been surveying the medical science liaison employment trends since 2006, with its salary surveys and analysis of job satisfaction trends based on primary source collection as well as secondary source collection of the MSL community. MSL Institute also provides a niche-specific job board catering only to the MSL recruiting market.

The 14-page report is available to pharmaceutical employers and corporate staffing consultants. Please contact Dr. Chin for a complimentary copy of the report.

Parents .... Check out Ali's Wagon

ABOUT US

Ali's Wagon's Parenting Center which is intended to assist those of us young urbans who are in a family way. Ali's Wagonis the place to go when you are first expecting, to take birthing classes and to informally meet other parents, and Ali's Wagon fulfills the desire of many current Fairmount parents to have some local shopping for their baby needs. Our inventory and programming reflect the personal orientation of Jessie and Nat's identity as parents to a young toddler, but as they continue to learn the ins and outs of store ownership and retail business the center's services will expand to better address the plethora of challenges, from cradle to college. We are proud to host "Lamaze Childbirth Preparation" birthing classes that fill up quite in advance, so register early (please see Parenting Center section for details)! We also hold an ongoing New Mom's Group every Friday with alternating facilitators and a New Moms' Drop-In Group in the afternoon for informal discussion without a moderator. We hope to find additional ways for parents to meet other people who are at similar stages in their journey of parenting. We have learned so much from the experience of others and we want to create and maintain a community environment where others can connect and gain advice and support from their peers.

H1N1 Virus Scare Prompts One Hospital To Change Access Policies

Visiting Kansas any time soon?

To protect workers and patients, the Mercy Regional Health Center in Topeka, KA temporarily changed its visitor policy. No one under the age of 12 can visit patients and only one visitor is allowed into the Birth and Women's Center.

"They're in a category that's high-risk for the H1N1 influenza," Couchman said.

The hospital and doctor's offices in the county have seen an increase in H1N1 cases this month, but emergency services says unless you have a chronic illness or are high-risk, you shouldn't go to the doctor.

A Warning to Couch Potatoes

Physiologists analyzing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes found that the act of sitting shuts down the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase. They found that standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising. They also found that standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes.

Another Warning for Couch Potatoes:Physiologists And Microbiologists Find Link Between Sitting And Poor Health

Physiologists analyzing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes found that the act of sitting shuts down the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase. They found that standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising. They also found that standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes.

Read more.

Pre-Doctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Methods for Field-based Research in Education

The University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education offers a Pre-Doctoral Training Program designed to support and enhance the Ph.D. training of students in different disciplines who are committed to careers in applied, field-based education research. The initiative involves six University of Pennsylvania schools and multiple school districts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and it is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education. Fellows receive financial support, access to specialized resources and experts in the field of study and become part of an emerging national network of students, faculty and practitioners conducting interdisciplinary research in the education sciences.



Current fellows are students presently enrolled in PhD programs at the Graduate School of Education, the Wharton School of Business, and the School of Arts and Sciences in fields such as education, sociology, economics, and business and public policy. We encourage current students from any discipline within the University of Pennsylvania who are interested in developing expertise in rigorous scientific interdisciplinary education research to apply.

Rice University: Negotiating the Ideal faculty Position

At Rice University we are strongly committed to increasing the diversity of science and engineering faculty and students. As part of this goal we are sponsoring an exciting workshop for senior women graduate students and post-docs who are interested in pursuing an academic career. The workshop, Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position, (October 18-19, 2009), is designed to provide participants hands-on experience to enhance their knowledge of and ability to find the right faculty position. Through support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award, all travel, meals, and lodging costs will be provided for workshop participants. Applications are due August 13. The online application can be found at