ACTH (cosyntropin) Stimulation Test

Speedy Ponson

Sidney Ponson tested positive for stimulants during the WBC. I’m so glad the tougher international standards are doing such a great job of discouraging drug use. That two-year ban on international competition is really going to hurt Sidney. And yes...

A-Rod Doesn't Want You To Take Everything Literally

I wasn't around on Wednesday when Alex Rodriguez made his comment regarding drug testing in Major League Baseball, so it's hard to tell exactly how he said it. Was he presenting it in a serious way, or was he sort of joking around? I'm not sure. But what...

New Calls for Investigations on Drugging Detainees

Following a pivotal article by Jeff Stein at Congressional Quarterly a few weeks back, today's Washington Post published an important article today, "Detainees Allege Being Drugged, Questioned." The story, by Post staff writer Joby Warrick, notes U.S...

Neifi Perez Is An Idiot, Suspended 80 Games for Testing Positive Again

All these amphetamines and the guy still can't hit a baseball. At least it's good to know that the talent component remains a critical element to hitting a baseball. Not even Patrick Arnold could create a steroid to make Neifi Perez turn into a hitting...

$500 a Month Lying in Bed?

It's not a joke. NASA is said to be offering that kind of compensation for qualified individuals willing to undergo its Bed Rest Study. Be sure to fill the application form if you are interested. Read the FAQ first. If you complete the test, you'll get...

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Improves Language Learning

Here are some interesting results from Flöel et al. : Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a reliable technique to improve motor learning. We here wanted to test its potential to enhance associative verbal learning, a skill...

Mentally and Physically stimulating environments delay dementia

I’ve been reading a lot of articles in the past couple of years supporting mental exercises to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. However, today I came across a study which states that physical exercise is also beneficial to delay onset of...

U.S. Swimmer Jessica Hardy Fails Drug Test

NBC is reporting that female Olympic swimmer Jessica Hardy has failed a drug test for a performance enhancing stimulant.  The proceedings to see if she will be able to swim at next month’s Beijing Olympics is already taking place. Hardy, 21...

Small Patient Population - Big Drug Prices

Information regarding Questcor and H.P. Acthar Gel compiled and analyzed by Lisa Emrich, blogger/writer at brassandivory.blogspot.com, multiple sclerosis patient and patient advocate with direct experience dealing with NORD and other patient assistance...

Brain Stimulation May Improve Memory

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is a procedure being studied to treat Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. DBS of the hypothalamus has been used to treat cluster headaches and aggressiveness in humans, and stimulating this area...

Sunday Funnies (Stimulant edition)

Magnetic brain stimulation improves skill learning

The use of magnetic pulses to stimulate the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) region of the brain results in an improved ability to learn a skilled motor task. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience show that skilled movements can be...

The Big Test

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to babysit for my niece’s first child, a three month old girl. She had a corporate meeting in the area and had just returned to work two weeks ago. It was an exciting opportunity to get to enjoy this baby...

Milder ovarian stimulation for IVF reduces aneuploidy in embryo

Milder ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilization reduces aneuploidy in the human preimplantation embryo: a randomized controlled trial BACKGROUND: To test whether ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) affects oocyte quality and thus...

Not Too Stimulating

Neifi Perez is busted. Batting.179 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs, Perez was busted for a positive stimulant test Friday and will begin serving his 25-game suspension immediately. How awesome are the Detroit Tigers? Besides the use of uppers among...

Stun Guns and the Heart

Although there have been incidental reports regarding "neuromuscular incapacitating devices (NID)" or "stun guns" causing rare instances of death, the frequency and of cardiac stimulation by these devices and the circumstances required to cause cardiac...

More advanced deep brain stimulation electrodes in pipeline

Katrien Marent At this week's Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE) conference, the independent nanoelectronics and nano- technology research center IMEC presented a new design strategy for brain implants, which it used to create a prototype multi...

Deep brain stimulation shows promise treating severe OCD

OCD affects 2 percent of the population and is the number four psychiatric pathology in terms of frequency following phobias, substance abuse disorders, and depression. The people affected are obsessed with cleanliness, order, and symmetry, or are...

Doping: Marta Bastianelli Positive

The current Womens' World Champion on the road, Marta Bastianelli, tested positive for a stimulant on 5 July. She was racing the U23 European Championships where she finished third, at the time of the test. Specifically, the test showed the drug...

What's Up

Thanks again for all the support. Pain: continues but is better. Energy level: Getting better. This morning I had to go to the local hospital for the ACTH Stim test. Whatever. Times they blew the IV insertion: Four Times they couldn't get blood out: One...