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Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows
- From: "Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>
- To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows
- Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:58:31 -0700
Copper/manganese ratios, as well as
organophosphate links, have been investigated in Mad Cow. Those theories
have been rejected by the BSE inquiry and the Horn committee, but there are
still papers being published that explore the associations. Everyone
agrees that a prion causes Mad Cow – the question is whether prion contamination
is insufficient, or that a low Cu/Mn ratio or organophosphate exposure are
necessary for infection, increased the risk of development and/or the severity.
The apparent links may just be due to the agricultural practices where Mad Cow
has occurred. Infected cattle seem to coincidentally ingest feed with a
Cu/Mn ratio than might be less than optimal for allowing animals to enjoy the
neurological and virological protections copper may contribute to. So, as
of now, the consensus is that although prion exposure, Cu/Mn imbalances, and
organophosphate exposure have all occurred in the same populations of cattle,
there’s absolutely no clear evidence that any one of those things leads
to one of the others; they seem coincidental, not etiological. The area
is still being explored. Universities are certainly dependent on
corporate and special-interest funds. Bio and chem departments maintain
lists of requested, fundable studies that come from interested corporate
parties. Research only happens when it’s funded. This is why
it’s important to encourage altruistic research, through such things as
charitable donations and political advocacy. Spin-science is confusing at best.
We end up with an advocate system of biological research, where one interested
party (the copper industry funds studies linking low copper to Mad Cow) fuels
and publishes research that support their bottom line, while other industries
(feed and fertilizer suppliers, in this scenario) support research that would
keep their costs down, by not having to reformulate their products to correct
mineral ratios. All such research should be taken with a grain of sand
(or copper manganate). It’s just impossible for a lay person to suss
out the truth from what the corporate PR machines (the lie persons) are
spinning. It’s hard for a biochemist. So there are arbiters,
like the BSE inquiry, In those arbiters it can be helpful to look for bias;
does the arbiter want the problem silenced, or solved? I’m fairly
able to examine the underlying science, rather than infer that bad science must
necessarily come from biased sourcing; but I do scrutinize literature more
carefully and specifically when the funding source has a clear agenda. There are other biases in science that are
not commercial. In psychiatry 40 years ago, the bias was upbringing
rather than biology; then nature was given its due, and we see that people have
different brains, which result in different psychologies, temperaments,
orientations, and disorders. Now there’s a pretty good
nature/nurture balance, I think – but extremists on each said would say I’m
wrong (thus my perception of balance). In biology, there is a pathogenic
bias. Ever since ulcers were found to be largely caused by a bacterium
rather than stress or bad diet, pathogens have rejoined the list of usual
suspects. It’s certainly as good an area as any to research in
Colony Collapse. For heaven’s sake stay prudently
cynical. ~ Stephen From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On
Behalf Of BRosholdt
|
-
[NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder,
BRosholdt, 04/25/2007
-
Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows,
Stephen Sadler, 04/25/2007
-
Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows,
Donna &/or Kieran, 04/25/2007
-
[NAFEX] when is the 2007 NAFEX conference?,
James G Steen, 04/27/2007
- Re: [NAFEX] when is the 2007 NAFEX conference?, Ed Fackler, 04/27/2007
- Re: [NAFEX] when is the 2007 NAFEX conference?, natelson, 04/27/2007
-
[NAFEX] when is the 2007 NAFEX conference?,
James G Steen, 04/27/2007
-
Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows,
Donna &/or Kieran, 04/25/2007
-
Re: [NAFEX] Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, spin-science, the madness of cows,
Stephen Sadler, 04/25/2007
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