Daily Archives: March 4, 2017

Immune Disorders Such as MS, Psoriasis May Be Tied to Dementia … – Helena Independent Record

Posted: March 4, 2017 at 12:48 am

WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People with autoimmune diseases -- conditions that cause a person's immune system to turn against the body -- appear to have an increased risk of developing dementia, a new British study suggests.

Researchers found that 18 out of 25 different autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, psoriasis or multiple sclerosis, "showed a statistically significant association with dementia," said study co-author Dr. Michael Goldacre. He's a professor of public health at the University of Oxford.

But Goldacre and other experts stressed that the study didn't prove that autoimmune diseases cause dementia. The research only showed that these conditions are associated with a higher risk of dementia.

Specifically, the study found that people with multiple sclerosis appeared to have nearly double the risk of dementia. Psoriasis was associated with a 29 percent increased risk of dementia. Lupus was linked to a 46 percent increased risk, and rheumatoid arthritis with a 13 percent increased risk. Crohn's disease was associated with a 10 percent increased risk.

"How do [autoimmune diseases] affect the brain? We don't know, although others have suggested that chronic inflammation, possibly autoimmune effects, or possibly both, may have a role in Alzheimer's," Goldacre said.

For this study, the researchers reviewed information from more than 1.8 million people in England. All had been admitted to a hospital with an autoimmune disease between 1998 and 2012.

Compared with people admitted for other causes, patients admitted for treatment of an autoimmune disorder were 20 percent more likely to wind up back at the hospital later with dementia, the researchers found.

However, when researchers broke down their findings by type of dementia, they found that autoimmune diseases only increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease by about 6 percent.

The autoimmune diseases had a much stronger impact on the risk of vascular dementia. The risk of vascular dementia was 28 percent higher in people with autoimmune diseases. People with vascular dementia experience a decline in their thinking skills due to conditions that block or reduce blood flow to the brain, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients.

This apparent increased risk for vascular dementia could be caused by the effect of autoimmune diseases on the circulatory system, the researchers said. The study also found that people with an autoimmune disease were 53 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart disease. Those with an autoimmune disease were also 46 percent more likely to have a stroke.

The link between vascular dementia and autoimmune diseases is "something new," said James Hendrix. He's the director of global science initiatives for the Alzheimer's Association, based in Chicago.

This link could implicate chronic inflammation as a potential cause of progressive dementia, he said.

Hendrix explained that a person with a sprained ankle experiences inflammation and swelling as the immune system responds to their injury. If the inflammation continues for an extended period, that person could wind up with joint damage and arthritis.

"We are starting to think neuron inflammation is similar," Hendrix said.

Both Hendrix and Goldacre noted that the study is observational, so it couldn't prove a direct cause-and-effect link. In addition, Goldacre said the size of the associations they found was small, and should be taken "more as a message for interested researchers than for interested patients."

Dr. Walter Rocca is a professor of epidemiology and neurology with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He said the findings are "important" but may be limited by the fact that the researchers focused solely on people admitted to the hospital with an autoimmune disorder.

"The concern is that many persons affected by an autoimmune disease may never need to be admitted to a hospital, and many persons affected by dementia may not need to be hospitalized," Rocca said.

"This incomplete capture [of information] may cause a distortion of the findings," he added.

Rocca also pointed out that the 25 autoimmune diseases considered in the study are very different from each other. For example, some attack the joints or the endocrine glands, while others -- like multiple sclerosis -- may directly affect the brain.

Findings from the study were published March 1 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

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Doctors reverse teen’s sickle cell disease with innovative gene therapy – Fox News

Posted: at 12:47 am

A French teen who underwent a first-of-its-kind procedure 15 months ago to change his DNA shows no signs of the sickle cell disease he had been suffering from. The procedure, which was performed at Necker Childrens Hospital in Paris, may offer hope to millions of patients who suffer from sickle cell disease, BBC News reported.

Sickle cell disease is a severe hereditary form of anemia, which causes patients to develop abnormal hemoglobin in red blood cells. The botched hemoglobin causes the cells to form a crescent or sickle shape, making it difficult to maneuver throughout the body. Sickle-shaped cells are less flexible, and may get stuck to vessel walls causing a blockage, which can stop blood flow to vital tissues.

Before undergoing the procedure, treatment for the unidentified teen included traveling to the hospital each month for a blood transfusion to dilute the defective blood, BBC News reported. According to the report, the excessive amount of treatment caused severe internal damage, and at age 13 he already needed a hip replacement and had his spleen removed.

In a world first, doctors at Necker Childrens Hospital removed his bone marrow and genetically altered it using a virus to compensate for the defect in his DNA responsible for sickle cell disease, BBC News reported. The results published in the New England Journal of Medicine said he no longer uses medication, and has been making normal blood for the past 15 months.

So far the patient has no sign of the disease, no pain, no hospitalization, Philippe Leboulch, professor of medicine at the University of Paris, told BBC News. He no longer requires a transfusion so we are quite pleased with that.

Doctors said the treatment will have to be repeated in other patients as the teen is the trials first, but that it does show powerful potential.

Ive worked in gene therapy for a long time and we make small steps and know theres years more work, Dr. Deborah Gill, of the gene medicine research group at the University of Oxford, told BBC News. But here you have someone who has received gene therapy and has complete clinical remission thats a huge step forward.

It was not clear how much the procedure would cost, or whether there are plans to expand to other countries.

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Sanford Health, hospital partner on gene sequencing project – Medical Xpress

Posted: at 12:47 am

March 3, 2017

Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the country, is partnering with the flagship hospital of the Miami Children's Health System to sequence the genes of nearly 1,000 Latinos and Hispanics in order to better understand the health needs of the populations.

Philanthropist Denny Sanford and Sanford Health have given $7 million to the Nicklaus Children's Hospital initiative in Miami, Florida, to support the research, which uses genetic and genomic information to personalize health carein this case, for children.

Golfing great Jack Nicklaus, for whom the hospital is named, said he recently approached his friend, Denny Sanford, and asked for help with the project.

"When we approached Denny with a plea to assist our important work at Nicklaus Children's Hospital and through our Foundation, he was quick to open his heart and lend a hand," Nicklaus said in a statement.

The sequencing project will make it easier to determine whether a person is predisposed to a certain disease, or how he or she might respond to a particular medicine. The initiative will help build a database of common genomes and identify genetic patterns among Hispanic and Latino populations.

MCHS is South Florida's only health care system exclusively for children and includes the nonprofit Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

Sanford Health, which is the largest employer based in the Dakotas with 28,000 workers, has 45 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries. Sanford Health CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft said the partnership will help Sanford diversify its work and research with genomic medicine.

Explore further: Stem cell therapy trial at Sanford first of its kind in US for shoulder injuries

2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

The first FDA-approved clinical trial of its kind in the United States using a person's own fat-derived adult stem cells to treat shoulder injuries is available at Sanford Health.

A 9-day-old baby who suffered a normally fatal stroke was saved after a Sanford Health cerebrovascular neurosurgeon removed the clot by combining mechanical and medicinal therapies. The unique case, completed by Alexander ...

Genetic profiling of cancer tumors provides new avenues for treatment of the disease, according to a study conducted by Sanford Health and recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

(HealthDay)Sick children from rural areas in the United States have more complex medical problems and cost more to treat than urban or suburban kids, a new hospital study finds.

A drug that blocks neurotransmitters could reduce nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, research co-authored by a Sanford Health physician and published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds.

Snoring can be a normal symptom of a cold or virus in children. But when snoring persists and children have difficulty sleeping, parents should take their children to a doctor to look for signs of more serious conditions.

A condition forcing people to involuntarily mirror movements in opposing limbs has been linked to a common developmental brain disorder.

Common knowledge says that genetic mutations are bad. This is true for most mutations of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the enzyme in the blood responsible for the breakdown of lipoproteins, which allows tissue to utilize energy ...

A computer method called ZeitZeiger that uses a sample of blood to accurately predict circadian time - the time of day according to a person's body clock - is described in new research published in the open access journal ...

Genetic variants linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have been positively selected during human evolution because they also contribute to enhanced cognition, a new Yale study suggests.

Australian scientists have discovered the first evidence of genes that cause Macular Telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a degenerative eye disease which leads to blindness and is currently incurable and untreatable.

New research has identified sections of DNA associated with altered regulation of gene expression underlying schizophrenia. The implicated loci contribute to schizophrenia risk by affecting alternative splicing, part of the ...

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Invitae CEO wants to democratize genetic testing – MedCity News

Posted: at 12:47 am


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Invitae CEO wants to democratize genetic testing
MedCity News
We are in the early days of precision medicine but it is on the back of widespread gene testing that promise of this approach of treating diseases stands. And there are plenty of companies offering some kind of gene testing on the tumor DNA ...

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Icahn Names Gene Transfer Pioneer as Portfolio Manager – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Posted: at 12:47 am

Days after reportedly taking a stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb, Carl C. Icahn signaled an even greater role as an activist investor in biopharma through the hiring of Richard C. Mulligan, Ph.D., as a portfolio manager.

Dr. Mulligan will focus on biotechnology investments for two Icahn limited partnerships, Icahn Partners and Icahn Partners Master Fund, the private investment funds comprising Icahn Enterprises' Investment segment.

"We are very pleased to have Richard join Icahn Capital given the depth and level of experience he brings as we look to enhance our focus on the biotechnology sector," Icahn, the chairman of Icahn Enterprises, said in a statement earlier this week.

Dr. Mulligan is the Mallinckrodt Professor of Genetics, Emeritus at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and visiting scientist at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. He is also a pioneer in the development of new technologies for transferring genes into mammalian cells. A major interest in Dr. Mulligan's laboratory has been the development of genetically engineered animal viruses as gene transfer vectors.

In addition to serving as full Mallinckrodt professor at HMS, he previously served as director of the Harvard Gene Therapy Initiative, a collaboration by basic science and clinical investigators at Harvard University and its affiliated hospitals focused on preclinical and clinical evaluation of novel gene-based therapies for inherited and acquired diseases.

From 2013 to last year, Dr. Mulligan was founding partner and senior managing director of Sarissa Capital Management. Sarissaled by another biopharma-focused activist investor, Alex Dennerspearheaded the successful effort in 2015 to drive Harvey J. Berger, M.D., into retirement from the helm of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, the cancer drug developer that he founded in 1991 and is being acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical for $5.2 billion.

Dr. Mulligan is a member of Biogens board and has previously served as a director, scientific advisory board member, or officer for numerous public biopharma companies, including Cell Genesys, Cellectis, Enzon, Somatix Therapy, and ImClone. ImClone was acquired by Eli Lilly for $6.5 billion in 2008, 2 years after Icahn acquired a majority of the companys stock.

Dr. Mulligan was also a consultant to Amgen, DuPont, and the Genetics Institute. He previously served on the NIHs Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, which provides guidance to the agency about experiments involving recombinant DNA, and the FDA Biological Response Modifiers Advisory Committee, which advises the FDA on matters related to cell and gene therapies, including stem cell-based technologies.

He received his B.S. degree from MIT and his Ph.D. from the department of biochemistry at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he studied under Nobel Laureate Paul Berg, Ph.D.

After receiving postdoctoral training at the Center for Cancer Research at MIT with Nobel Laureates David Baltimore, Ph.D., and Phillip Sharp, Ph.D., Dr. Mulligan joined the MIT faculty and was appointed Professor of Molecular Biology and Member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research before moving to Harvard and Children's Hospital in 1996.

His honors include the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Prize, the Rhodes Memorial Award of the American Association for Cancer Research, the ASMB-Amgen Award, and the Nagai Foundation International Prize.

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Epigenetic enzyme found to be lacking in some patients with Crohn’s disease – Medical Xpress

Posted: at 12:47 am

March 3, 2017 High magnification micrograph of Crohn's disease. Biopsy of esophagus. H&E stain. Credit: Nephron/Wikipedia

A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has found how a variant in an important epigenetic enzymepreviously associated by population-based genetic studies with Crohn's disease and other immune disordersinterferes with the action of the innate immune system, potentially upsetting the healthy balance between the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract and the immune response. In their paper published in Science Immunology the team reports findings that SP140an epigenetic reader protein that plays a critical role in determining whether or not target genes are expressedis essential to suppressing inappropriate gene expression in macrophages, innate immune cells that are critical to maintaining intestinal balance.

"More than 400 enzymes write, read or erase the epigenome, and mutations in these enzymes are some of the most prevalent perturbations in cancers, prompting rigorous efforts to identify compounds that could inhibit their function and reset gene expression," says Kate Jeffrey, PhD of the MGH Gastrointestinal Unit and the Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, corresponding author of the Science Immunology report. "Our knowledge of epigenomic enzyme mutations in immune-mediated disease is lagging well behind the cancer field, and our studythe first to examine the function of SP140 in any detailshows how its loss in Crohn's disease triggers intestinal inflammation."

SP140 is predominantly expressed in immune cells, and a variant form of the gene has been associated with Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Prior to this study both the normal function of the SP140 protein and how the gene variant affected the protein and caused disease were unknown. In a series of experiments, Jeffrey's team showed that the unaltered form of SP140 is required to maintain the appropriate expression of genes that define the identity and function of macrophages. The immune disorder variantcharacterized by 17 individual sequence changes - resulted in a loss of SP140 protein that compromised the ability of macrophages to respond to microbial signals.

The researchers also showed that reducing SP140 expression in the immune cells of a mouse model of colitis increased intestinal inflammation. In addition, examining intestinal biopsy samples from a group of Crohn's disease patients revealed that those in whom SP140 expression was reduced responded better to anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) therapya treatment for inflammatory conditions that is effective in only about half of Crohn's patients - than did patients with typical SP140 levels.

"Finding this correlation between lower intestinal levels of SP140 and a better response to anti-TNF represents a potential precision medicine strategy for tailoring anti-TNF-like therapies to Crohn's patients carrying the variant form of SP140," says Jeffrey, who is an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Our study may also lead to better inflammatory bowel disease therapies by highlighting the critical role of epigenetic mechanisms for intestinal health. Although directly targeting SP140 would not be a good option, since its loss is detrimental to intestinal health, leveraging other epigenetic enzyme inhibitors that promote protective innate immune responses in the intestine could be a real therapeutic option"

Additional research is needed to better understand exactly how SP140 normally limits the expression of inappropriate genes and whether this function is limited to macrophages or also occurs in other SP140-expressing immune cells, Jeffrey notes. Her team also hopes to investigate the role of the Crohn's-associated SP140 variant in multiple sclerosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, along with identifying other epigenetic enzymes that may be therapeutically targetable in inflammatory bowel disease and other immune-driven disorders.

Explore further: Crohn's disease risk and prognosis determined by different genes, study finds

More information: "Maintenance of macrophage transcriptional programs and intestinal homeostasis by epigenetic reader SP140," Science Immunology, immunology.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.aag3160

A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has found how a variant in an important epigenetic enzymepreviously associated by population-based genetic studies with Crohn's disease and other immune disordersinterferes ...

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Politically Incorrect – Portsmouth Daily Times

Posted: at 12:46 am

I stand amazed as I watch the nightly news as I see people everywhere that seem to be in such a hurry to scream prejudice and racism these days. It is a daily dose of the worlds newest and most effective tool as those oppressed play the victim card in todays society. They seem to be looking for confrontation at every turn. It seems as if it is a never ending occurrence. It is happening in all kinds of situations. In fact I heard a story about a customer asking a clerk, In what aisle can I find the Polish sausage? The clerk asked, Are you Polish? The woman, who was clearly offended, replied Yes I am. But let me ask you something. If I had asked for Italian sausage, would you ask me if I was Italian? Or if I had asked for German Bratwurst, would you ask me if I was German? Or if I asked for a kosher hot dog would you ask me if I was Jewish? Or if I had asked for a Taco, would you ask if I was Mexican? Or if I asked for some Irish whiskey, would you ask if I was Irish? The clerk rolled his eyes and shook his head and said, No, I probably wouldnt. The woman was clearly upset and said, Well then, because I asked for Polish sausage, why did you ask me if I was Polish? The clerk trying to hold back a grin replied, Because lady youre in Home Depot!

Now folks that story is funny but in todays world it is not politically correct and I would be ostracized for using it. You see today everything is off the table and not politically correct or racist except when someone is attacking Christians, Jesus Christ, or those who hold firmly to the faith that was once delivered. Today it is a national pastime to speak evil of Jesus or the Christian faith. Those that stand for morals and higher standards of conduct are the newest whipping boy for those who seek to take this country into further moral decline.

The world and America would be better if it understood that there is power and true life in the name of Jesus! What happened to the lame man at the temple when Peter told him to arise in the name of Jesus? The man stood up! And not only that, the Scripture says he began to leap and dance and praise God. Later in the temple, Peter testified about the man saying, Look at this man, he stands before you whole and strong in the power of the name of Jesus.

Listen America, in the name of Jesus your bondage can be broken and you can be set free. In the name of Jesus drug addiction can be defeated! In the name of Jesus families can be healed. In the name of Jesus, those who were once broken and downtrodden will be able to stand up and testify of the grace of Christ Jesus in their lives! Now I come to you; yes you! Is the power of Jesus Christ at work in your life today? It can be. Take a leap of faith and live for him! And do it all in the name of Jesus!

Spinnati

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Chinese official calls for easing of internet censorship – The Guardian

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China restricts outside websites including Google. Photograph: Sinopix/REX

Chinas sprawling internet censorship regime is harming the countrys economic and scientific progress, a senior official has said in a rare public rebuke of longstanding Communist party policy.

Internet restrictions had also cooled enthusiasm among overseas investors and should be relaxed for politically innocuous content, said Luo Fuhe, vice-chairman of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body to Chinas rubber-stamp parliament.

It is a rare criticism of the countrys censorship policies, which have become more severe since Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012.

China operates one of the worlds most sophisticated and far-reaching internet censorship systems. Known as the Great Firewall, it completely blocks many foreign websites including Google, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

China was the worst abuser of internet freedom in 2016, ranking lower than Syria and Iran, according to a report by Freedom House. Aside from banned websites, censors frequently delete comments deemed politically sensitive from social media, and posts have led to jail time in some cases.

From within China, attempting to visit to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization or a lot of foreign university website is very slow, Luo said. Opening each page takes at least 10-20 seconds and some foreign university sites need more than half an hour to open.

Slow internet speeds and the increasing number of banned sites would have a significant impact on Chinas economic and social development and scientific research, Luo said.

Some researches rely on software to climb over the firewall to complete their own research tasks. This is not normal, Luo added.

Luo, a former scientific development official, said he hoped to work with others to introduce legislation lifting the ban on websites that are not politically sensitive and are necessary for scientific purposes.

His chances would appear to be slim. Censorship has increased in recent years with Chinas leadership advocating for what it calls internet sovereignty, a doctrine that encourages nations to aggressively police what is allowed to enter each country over the internet.

China will open the annual session of parliament, the National Peoples Congress, on 5 March.

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Censorship, in all its forms, is damaging – Wicked Local Boxford

Posted: at 12:45 am

Censorship, whether at a broader or more personal scale, ultimately leaves society with more harm done than good.

Everyone would agree that censoring society from potential evils protects and benefits the people in the long run, wouldnt they? Of course, they wouldnt. Censorship, whether at a broader or more personal scale, ultimately leaves society with more harm done than good.

Though I may not be proud of it, I have experienced censorship firsthand. Witnessing an innocent little boy being bullied by my friend in our local library didnt seem to trigger my preteen brain to spring into action. Not realizing the full severity of the situation, I decided to censor my words and actions in order to not lose my friend. Though I grew to learn that my decision was incorrect, I negatively impacted society by letting a bullying situation go untouched. I could have easily stopped this incident, if not for my personal censorship.

American author Charles Bukowski told how censorship is the tool of those who have the need to hide actualities from themselves and from others. Their fear is only their inability to face what is real, and I can't vent any anger against them. I only feel this appalling sadness. Somewhere, in their upbringing, they were shielded against the total facts of our existence (Bukowski, Charles Bukowski on Censorship).

Essentially, hes describing the simple principle of how censoring is only us pushing away reality, and it is unhealthy for us to do so. Chinas censorship of critical health information validates Bukowskis beliefs that censorship is used by those who want to intentionally withhold facts from others. In 2012, the World Health Organization estimated that about 4,000 people died each day in China due to severe air pollution, a devastating7 million each year (Jolley, End the censorship). Chinese citizens reacting to this created Under the Dome, a documentary created to grow awareness of this increasing health issue. However, the film, as well as posts regarding it, were deleted from the public eye. The Chinese government was trying to protect their image by not having society understand this issue, though it truly hurt China as a whole in the long run, considering this problem continued to worsen at the expense of human life. Meanwhile, President Xi announced that he was fully involved in cleaning this polluted air and expected all his people to be as well (Jolley, End the censorship). However, that idea of society helping out is unattainable considering how people arent even allowed to discuss it openly. This unnecessary censorship put not only China but also bordering nations at risk, considering how air doesnt remain within borders.

Another excellent example of censorship harming society revolves around global warming. It's well known in the media how burning fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide adds to the gradual worsening of the climate, though its barely known how arctic ice sheets containing tons of methane are melting extremely fast in some locations (Redmond, The Top 10 Stories The Mainstream Media Didnt Want You To Hear About In 2015). As methane enters the atmosphere as ice melts, it damages the environment much more than carbon dioxide would. American Journalist Dahr Jamail stated that a 2013 study, published in Nature, reported that a 50-giganton burp of methane is highly possible at any time, and that would be the equivalent of at least 1,000 gigatons of carbon dioxide...since 1850, humans have released a total of approximately 1,475 gigatons in carbon dioxide (Redmond, The Top 10 Stories The Mainstream Media Didnt Want You To Hear About In 2015). He also spoke about how a massive, sudden change in methane levels could, in turn, lead to temperature increases of four to six degrees Celsius in just one or two decades - a rapid rate of climate change to which human agriculture, and ecosystems more generally, could not readily adapt (Redmond, The Top 10 Stories The Mainstream Media Didnt Want You To Hear About In 2015). Since this isnt talked about in the news, the majority of society is unaware of how terrifying this situation is and that it is happening right now. The media believe that they are helping by keeping the people in the dark about this horrible issue, though it only leaves us without the knowledge to stop it.

Taking away books from the public is another form of censorship that is incredibly hurtful toward society. Judy Blume, an American writer, notes how tragic the idea is that there are some books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers (Blume, Judy Blume Talks About Censorship) When books are taken away from society, this unexplainable connection we have to books is cut, as well as the possible knowledge that it could provide us.

There are multiple forms of censorship that are damaging to society and individual life. Whether it be a countrys government withholding critical health information, or swallowing your words when witnessing an act of bullying, censorship is detrimental toward people on both sides of the act. Overall, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel the need to censor your voice or opinion out of fear that you may harm others, remember that your censorship will only do more damage to both sides in the end.

Katie O'Brien

Tyler Lane

Middleton

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Censorship at the arXiv: endorsements, and even publication won’t matter. – Science 2.0

Posted: at 12:45 am

The arXiv.org (said as archive) is one of the oldest websites on the internet and serves as a curated collection of scholarly preprints submitted by recognized scientist. I even have a paper there on massive star formation (arXiv:1311.3983). I tried to publish in another area and they say submit to a journal and get feedback. Then a favorable review isnt enough, so I need to get it published. Then in a subsequent email from them, I must get it published in a mainstream journal with no guarantee that being published in any journal would do the trick.

What is arXiv, why they moderate, and why that can go wrong.

The arXiv has to maintain a certain standard for a reason. The value of arXiv is that it provides a copy of papers that cost money either way. That means it is moderated. This is a reasonable thing to do. There is also an appeals process which is supposed to avoid abuses. However, when moderation devolves into unreasoned censorship and even doing what they tell you to get a paper up there may not sway them someone has to call it what it is.

So, I get endorsements, twice, that is not so unusual.

They ask that I submit to a peer reviewed journal for the requisite feedback. I get back a review from Science/Nature (does not matter which one) a long detailed review stating that the paper is not bad, and would be of interest to a small audience. Just not a big enough audience for Nature/Science.

Then arxiv says they need for it to be published in a mainstream journal. I ask for clarification of just what comprises a mainstream journal which would ensure acceptance on arXiv. Then I get this.

So even if I did what they asked it would probably not be enough. Supposed I submitted to another Nature/Science journal more focused on a specialty . What would the result be. I could never pay an open access fee for such a journal it would be too much. So even if I got it published in Nature/Science or a journal in one of those families that may not be enough. Hypothetically acceptance in Nature/Science wouldn't be enough for them.

Whats the big deal?

In this day and age most papers, in the fields of Physics, and Astronomy, are published open access in some form or fashion.

In this climate being published in a paywalled, traditional, and what I surmise they mean by mainstream, format is little better than not being published at all.

If one is browsing for papers on their Ipad, or phone or other device and has to pay they are not going to read it. If one has to even enter university library credentials that can be a pain in the rump many will simply avoid.

The assumption that serious researchers would be reading on a computer, on a campus, logged into a university or national lab IT system, etc is from the early 2000s or really the 1990s.

Philosophically, I believe in open access and I believe in public, post publication, peer review. The peoples taxes pay my salary, and for my retirement, and whos taxes loaned me money for school and pay for the facilities I rely on. They shouldnt have to pay Springer or Elsevier $30 bucks to read my work. If anything I should pay them to host it.

As for public, peer review, post publication, the attitude of the arXiv moderators shows why thats needed. It is possible to be frank, honest, and negative, without being unreasonable or insulting. Having to be publicly accountable for ones words ensures fairness in the process. Individual researchers are then free to use their own judgement on the pros and cons of a paper and contribute to the flow of ideas that will lead ultimately to greater knowledge accepting or rejecting all or part of a paper individually. The mainstream and traditional process is based on authority and belongs to a past era of paper and ink not hard drives and internet.

The bottom line

Yes, the arXiv does in fact censor ideas that dont fit the taste of the moderators. Even if those ideas have been found acceptable enough to publish, or have at a conference. . Yet they accepted how many papers about faster than light neutrino physics based on a clearly obviously flawed set up? Accepting those and not papers like mine which have a prayer of being right and propose an experiment to prove or disprove them is not scientific moderation. What that is is art criticism based on ones feelings about an idea without reasons and logic. That is the essence of censorship, not moderation.

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