Abel Pharmboy is the nom de plume of an academic researcher and educator who holds a PhD in Pharmacology. He writes on natural product drugs and dietary supplements, academic career development, medical journalism, and wine appreciation for the monetarily - challenged. You can learn quickly the distinction between the fields of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacy, the Pharmaceutical Sciences by clicking on the hyperlinks. You can learn more about me here.
Terra Sigillata relocates after 4-year run at ScienceBlogs
21 Jul 2010 at 4:02 pmBut never fear! Click HERE to come to our new home:
abelpharmboy.wordpress.com
Please update your bookmarks and see this farewell post about our departure from the ScienceBlogs community after four years.
The 234-ton load of Holy Cross Church is transported across the North Carolina Central University campus to make room for their new nursing building. The former primary place of worship for
It's time to move on, time to get goin'
21 Jul 2010 at 3:02 pmSo, readers know that I went out West this past weekend to visit colleagues at the University of Colorado, spend some thinking time at the southern Colorado ranchland endowed to us by the late PharmDad, and - most prominently - visit PharmMom and PharmStiefvater on the occasion of her 70th birthday. I'm extremely grateful to my wife, PharmGirl, MD, and the illustrious PharmKid for holding down the
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Bora leaves ScienceBlogs with superb history and analysis of science blogging
19 Jul 2010 at 1:08 pmWith great sadness, I announce that my colleague, Bora Zivkovic (aka Coturnix), is departing from ScienceBlogs.
However, his long-awaited analysis of the Pepsigate #sbfail episode is superb and he provides an unparalleled history of science blogging, its relationship with the legacy media, and his views of the future. He ends on an optimistic note, so I hope that his leaving the network is a Goo
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Take it to the Bridge: new blog from Sb commenter, namnezia
19 Jul 2010 at 9:58 amAltered Alerted by fellow blogger, Drugmonkey, I learned that insightful commenter, namnezia, has launched his own blog, Take it to the Bridge, with this great intro post on the blog and blogname (I like blog names that make you think.)For those who began reading us for our discussions of underrepesented minority groups in the sciences, namnezia holds forth on the awkwardness of minority
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The Cancer Letter reveals Rhodes Scholar falsification by Duke cancer researcher
19 Jul 2010 at 3:02 amThis is not good. Not good at all.
On Friday, Paul Goldberg of The Cancer Letter reported on an investigation into Duke cancer researcher, Anil Potti, MD, and claims made that he was a Rhodes Scholar - in Australia. The misrepresentation was made on grant applications to NIH and the American Cancer Society.
The Cancer Letter, a $375/year go-to newsletter on cancer research, funding, and drug dev
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Review of Times Right Now by smokin' Piedmont acoustic singer-songwriter, Jon...
17 Jul 2010 at 2:02 pmJon Shain and his Trio will be performing this evening (Saturday, July 17) at The Soul Cafe in Durham, NC, together with Washington, DC's The Grandsons and Pat Wictor. The Soul Cafe is an alcohol-free venue near Durham's Brightleaf Square. Sadly, I'm out of town and can't attend - but you should. Click here for more information on tonight's show from Jon's Facebook page.
Times Right Now is the 6t
Happy Birthday, PharmMom!
16 Jul 2010 at 12:02 pm
Pardon me for taking up science blogging space today to send out special wishes of love and congratulations for my Mom on the occasion of her birthday-of-special-note.
The artwork provided by her granddaughter above (©2010 PharmKid) contains a subliminal message about the significance of today's birthday. I will have the pleasure of delivering the original work of the artist to the birthday
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Why is there so much medical misinformation in The Huffington Post?
15 Jul 2010 at 6:02 amToday, I refer you to an excellent post by Peter A. Lipson, MD, at the blog, Science-Based Medicine, entitled, "HuffPo blogger claims skin cancer is conspiracy."
The post focuses on an article by someone who contends that the link between sunlight and skin cancer is a conspiracy by dermatologists and the cosmetic dermatology industry. Dr. Lipson's highly insightful analysis about the "interview
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Previous K2 Spice/synthetic marijuana coverage in The Washington Post
13 Jul 2010 at 11:02 amIn remarking Sunday on coverage of the synthetic marijuana products in The New York Times, I totally missed that a more detailed article appeared the day before in The Washington Post.
With contributions from Aaron C. Davis, the article by writer Michael W. Savage provided an insight into Spice use in Adams Morgan and around the District. The second page of the online article goes into much more
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K2 Spice, JWH-018, and synthetic marijuana make The New York Times
11 Jul 2010 at 7:51 amOvernight, Malcolm Gay posted an article that appears in this morning's Sunday edition of The New York Times regarding synthetic marijuana products.
"Incense" blends such as K2, Spice, Black Mamba, and Wildfire Extreme are sold legally in most states in the US but have been illegal in Europe for over a year. These herbacious products are sprayed with one or more compounds originally synthesized i
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Two questions about Pepsigate and #SbFAIL: Contracts, principles, and credibi...
10 Jul 2010 at 12:02 pmIf you're tired of talking about the debacle that was PepsiCo's paid blog that was sprung on us here at ScienceBlogs earlier this week, please carry on elsewhere.
However, this episode is certainly the talk of both scientists and journalists. I suspect that this case will be discussed and dissected in the coming months at conferences and in journalism classrooms around the world.
Two questions h
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Thanks a million!
10 Jul 2010 at 9:11 amIn the midst of all of the PepsiCo #SbFAIL events of the week (here and here are my two contributions), I totally missed checking in on my blog traffic statistics this week. But every Saturday morning I get my weekly e-mail report from SiteMeter, the service I use to track how y'all get to the blog, what search terms you use, etc.
Yes, sometime during the week we drew our one millionth pagevie
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Hallucinations and hospitalizations: Angel's Trumpet
9 Jul 2010 at 6:02 amToxicity reports are re-emerging in southern California this week after a dozen hospitalizations of kids using teas made from a fragrant flowering plant called Angel's Trumpet. A tea made from the plants is used to produce hallucinations, but they can progress to extremely unpleasant experiences. Moreover, Angel's Trumpet can be deadly, accelerating the heart rate and causing fatal cardiac rhythmi
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PepsiCo Food Frontiers blog did not have to be a #SbFAIL
8 Jul 2010 at 8:32 amGiven the events of yesterday about corporate sponsorship in the objective landscape of science journalism, I found it ironic that my research collaboration meeting at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill brought me to their beautiful FedEx Global Education Center where I enjoyed an iced pomegranate tea.
However, I was feeling badly about midday from a combination of the high temperatu
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PepsiCo blog, Food Frontiers, is an affront to those who built the reputation...
7 Jul 2010 at 8:22 amYesterday, the ScienceBlogs arm of Seed Media Group announced that they would be hosting a blog written by members of PepsiCo's research and development leadership team. From the Food Frontiers blog:
PepsiCo's R&D Leadership Team discusses the science behind the food industry's role in addressing global public health challenges. This is an extension of PepsiCo's own Food Frontiers blog. All editor