| Desert Roads Lead to Discovery in Egypt Archaeologists uncovered the remains of a settlement that flourished more than 3,500 years ago. feeds.nytimes.com |
My Pod Delusion Live! talk ('From fan death to penis panics') | Martin Robbins Here's a podcast of the talk I gave at The Pod Delusion Live earlier this weekEarlier this week I gave a short talk on culture-bound syndromes – from fan death to penis panic – at a special live recording of popular podcast The Pod Delusion. The whole show is worth a listen (and subscribing to!), but you can catch my segment at around 30 minutes in:Immediately after the talk I took part in a live Q&A session, but it swiftly degenerated into a surreal trip into the world of wizard pigeon penis snatchers:Catch the rest of the show, and fifty previous episodes, here!Martin Robbinsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Female sexual dysfunction 'excuse by drug firms to sell pills' Pharmaceutical firms accused of trying to turn women's loss of desire into a condition treatable with pillsDrug companies are today accused of attempting to turn the loss of sexual desire that some women experience into a medical condition that can be treated by pills.Although drugs, from antidepressants to variants of Viagra, have been found ineffective, the companies are charged in an article in the British Medical Journal with inappropriately trying to create a market for pills to treat a condition that is as much psychosocial as biological, and which may need the intervention of a relationship counsellor as much as a doctor.Ray Moynihan, a journalist and lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Australia, argues in the BMJ that a variety of drug companies have tried to construct a scientific basis for medical treatment for women's loss of libido, running surveys that purport to find that it is widespread and devising ways to diagnose the condition.Extravagant claims have been made for the numbers of women affected, says Moynihan, who carried out his research for a new book called Sex, Lies and Pharmaceuticals.In 1999, it was claimed that 43% of women suffered from sexual dysfunction. Two of that survey's authors disclosed financial ties to the drugs industry.A 2005 survey funded by Pfizer, manufacturer of Viagra, concluded that a third of women in southern Europe lacked interest in sex and 40% in south-east Asia failed to reach orgasm. But, says Moynihan, the figures are grand totals. "When you look at the proportions of women experiencing these sexual difficulties 'frequently', the numbers collapse."Drug companies have produced questionnaires to enable clinicians easily to diagnose dysfunction in women – the latest being the "sexual desire screener" from Boehringer Ingelheim, which is promoted as giving a result in just a few minutes.The firms are also educating doctors in the problem: Moynihan says he discovered that Pfizer funded a half-day course for doctors across the US which claimed that up to 63% of women had sexual dysfunction and that testosterone and sildenafil (Viagra) might be helpful, along with behaviour therapy.Pfizer declined Moynihan's request for an interview but gave him a statement saying it had "conducted a number of studies over the past 15 years designed to understand the causes and nature of FSD [female sexual dysfunction] and its impact on women".The drugs, however, have not worked well. Boehringer Ingelheim's drug flibanserin – an antidepressant – was intended to help tackle a lack of desire.In the runup to licensing, one company expert said on TV this year that sexuality was "more about the brain" than anything else, while another said about 30% of women had the "desire disorder".But in June the drug failed to get the licence in the US after trials showed it worked no better than a placebo.In a commentary, Dr Sandy Goldbeck-Wood, a specialist in psychosexual medicine in Camden and Ipswich, said the loss of desire for sex made many women profoundly unhappy but it took a great deal for them to consult a doctor because of the embarrassment, shame or hopelessness they felt. "Faced with a woman in tears whose libido has disappeared and who is terrified of losing her partner, doctors can feel immense pressure to provide an immediate, effective solution," writes Goldbeck-Wood.It is not surprising if they reach for a pill or a patch, she says. "It is easy to see how the pressure for immediate solutions, combined with our biological bias and offers of research funding, leads to the kind of collaboration with the drug industry that has worked well for other illnesses, despite its relative inefficacy in this area." But women should not be left without help. "Many factors can contribute to low libido, few of them treatable with drugs," she writes."We owe these women something more respectful than ineffective medication or patronising false reassurance."Sexual healthHealthPharmaceuticals industryPfizerSexDrugsSarah Boseleyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Mystery Bird: Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii At first glance, this bird looks impossible to identify from this particular image, but there are some important clues that give it awayCooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii, photographed at the 14th annual hawk watch at Smith Point, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Chambers County, Texas, USA.Image: Joseph Kennedy, 30 September 2010 [with binoculars].Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400Question: I'm not sure whether most of you can identify this species, but there are a couple clues in this image that should prove helpful for those who know what to look for -- and yes, you are invited to "blurt out" this species' ID whether you are a beginner or an expert (but you must say which field marks you used to settle upon your identification). Response: This bird is a Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii -- a juvenile, as revealed by its pale nape. This species is often confounded with the smaller sharp-shinned hawk, especially since large female "sharpies" can be nearly the same size as small male "coops." But there are several clues in this image that help us determine this bird's identity. First, it has a rounded tail, which is characteristic of Cooper's hawks (sharp-shinned hawks' tail feathers are all the same length, which gives it a blunt, squared-off appearance). Second, the just-visible right leg provides a hint: Sharp-shinned hawks have very thin legs while Cooper's hawks' legs are stouter. But this field mark requires some experience with looking at these species since it is sometimes difficult to decide if the bird's legs are thick or not. If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Green: Governor Bans New Gas Wells on State Land Governor Rendell sends a message about what he describes as a rush by drilling companies to exploit public lands. feeds.nytimes.com |