Blog Profile / Aetiology
| URL : | http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Health / Epidemiology | |
| Posts on Regator: | 245 | |
| Posts / Week: | 0.9 | |
| Archived Since: | February 24, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
Tenured and promoted!
Received the official letter from the Provost--the Board of Regents approved my application for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. The process here started last summer. My dossier (with my course syllabi, statements on teaching/research/service,...Show More Summary
Waste not, want not? Poultry "feather meal" as another source of antibiotics in feed
The ecology of antibiotic resistance on farms is complicated. Animals receive antibiotic doses in their food and water, for reasons of growth promotion, disease prophylaxis, and treatment. Other chemicals in the environment, such as cleaning products or antimicrobial metals in the feed, may also act as drivers of antibiotic resistance. Show More Summary
June's passing
She just bought two pairs of new shoes. This is the refrain my brain keeps returning to, as if that will make the outcome any different. She hardly ever bought new shoes, or clothes, and especially furniture. Yet in the past year, as she decided she'd go on dialysis and stick around awhile, she purchased all of that. Show More Summary
The emergence of "nodding disease"
The emergence of "new" diseases is a complicated issue. "New" diseases often just means "new to biomedical science." Viruses like Ebola and HIV were certainly circulating in Africa in animal reservoirs for decades, and probably millenia, before they came to the attention of physicians via human infections. Show More Summary
Great Plains Emerging Infectious Diseases Conference--Registration Open
I mentioned last month that we are planning an Emerging Diseases conference here in April. Things are moving quickly and registration is now open (here). Abstract submission is also up and running here. The details: Oral and poster presentation research abstracts are due by 5:00pm on March 23, 2012. Show More Summary
Holy influenza, batman!
Typically when we think of flying things and influenza viruses, the first images that come to mind are wild waterfowl. Waterbirds are reservoirs for an enormous diversity of influenza viruses, and are the ultimate origin of all known flu viruses. Show More Summary
The human origins of "pig" Staph ST398
I recently gave a talk to a group here in Iowa City, emphasizing just how frequently we share microbes. It was a noontime talk over a nice lunch, and of course I discussed how basically we humans are hosts to all kinds of organisms,Show More Summary
Great Plains Emerging Diseases Conference
I mentioned earlier in the week that I had two pending announcements; now I can officially share the second. We're putting on an Emerging Infectious Diseases conference here in Iowa City April 27-8th, and the Keynote speaker will beShow More Summary
Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
Have two awesome announcements that I've been waiting to share. One will still have to wait a few more days as we're finalizing some details, I can now let you know that I just started a new position as an Advisory Board member of the Zombie Research Society. Show More Summary
MRSA in pork products: does the "antibiotic-free" label make a difference?
Back in November, I blogged about one of our studies, examining methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Iowa meat products. In that post, I mentioned that it was one of two studies we'd finished on the subject. Well, today the second study is out in PLoS ONE (freely available to all). Show More Summary
Castrating sheep with teeth: not a good idea (with video!)
Just a quick post as I'm in end-of-semester hell. Via Maryn McKenna on Twitter, the CDC has released a report of Campylobacter illnesses due to not food consumption, but because of castrating lambs. With their teeth. On June 29, 2011,...Show More Summary
Is the HPV vaccine "weak science?" (Hint: no)
Oh, Discover. You're such a tease. You have Ed and Carl and Razib and Phil and Sean, an (all-male, ahem) cluster of science bloggy goodness. But then you also fawn over HIV deniers Lynn Margulis and Peter Duesberg. Why can't you just stick with the science and keep the denial out? But no, now they've let it spill into their esteemed blogs. Show More Summary
Climate change and public health
I rarely write about climate change. As much as it's been hashed out amongst climate scientists, and even many of the former "climate skeptics" have now changed their tune, I readily accept that climate change is happening, and is happening largely due to human activities. Show More Summary
Does bestiality increase your risk of penile cancer?
Aah, the things one learns when awake at 3AM on a Saturday night. Via a few different Tweeps, I ran across this article from Men's Health magazine, titled "Urgent Warning: Sex with Animals Causes Cancer." I probably should have justShow More Summary
MRSA found in Iowa meat
I've blogged previously on a few U.S. studies which investigated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat products (including chicken, beef, turkey, and pork). This isn't just a casual observation as one who eats food--I...Show More Summary
Another advantage of blogging
As you may have noticed from the extended radio silence, it's been a busy few months between classes (both taking them and giving them), tenure packaging, and research. To add another responsibility to the mix, I gave a talk a few weeks back at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture's annual symposium. Show More Summary
Chickenpox parties--just a Facebook friend away
I've written a few times about chickenpox parties. The first link refers to a magazine article describing the practice; the second, a few years later, about a Craigslist ad looking to hold such a party "at McDonald [sic] or some place...Show More Summary
On the value of pseudonyms
Our new Scienceblogs overlords sure have great timing with their new pseudonymous blogging rules. For those who haven't run across that yet, National Geographic has decided to eliminate pseudonyms and force everyone with a blog remaining here (which is already dwindling) to blog under their real names. Show More Summary
It's not a freaking spider bite
Over at White Coat Underground, Pal has the post that I've been meaning to write. Earlier this summer, a family member posted on Facebook that a friend of her daughter was nursing a "nasty spider bite" that she got while camping in Michigan. Show More Summary
Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to kill Anopheles we go
As good news surfaces regarding a new (well, old) potential drug to help combat malaria--a drug already used to treat river blindness--KeithB and Phil Scheibel alerted me to another old malaria fighter featuring Dopey, Sneezy, and the...Show More Summary