Cio
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Feb 01, 2012
Posts: 37
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 Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:41 am Post subject: Harvard brain collection lost, autism research delayed. |
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NOS.nl (Dutch public news) reported this, sources:
http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-11/news/32177708_1_brain-bank-autism-research-freezer
http://nos.nl/artikel/382689-vriezer-defect-hersenbank-ontdooid.html
Short version:
150 brains thawed, some 50 of those from autistics. Dr. Pardo had established causality between the immune system and autism using this collection in 2004. Further research is expect to be hampered by this loss. The director of the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center said the situation is so unusual (alarm and thermostat failure plus the concentration of samples) that she cannot rule out foul play. The collection of autistic brains is owned by autism speaks, who also funds Dr. Pardo's research.
And the opinion bit:
In his study Dr. Pardo expressly (FULL CAPS ON FIRST PAGE) states that nobody should attempt to "treat" autism by influencing the immune system, since the relationship is not understood. Obviously, there are always pseudo-scientists who ignore these things and make money off gullible parents by torturing their autistic children with immune system influencing medication. I wouldn't not be surprised if someone purposely destroyed this collection and hope their eye for detail  prevents them from getting caught, but the cat is out of the bag.... shame this slows down understanding the human brain in relation to autism. |
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Declension
Phoenix
Joined: Jan 21, 2012
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Man, that sucks. 
I doubt it was intentional, but if it was, that's just disgraceful. For some reason, I can hardly think of a worse crime. I mean, I know that murder is technically worse, but there is just something so horrific about the idea of destroying potential knowledge. |
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bnky
Velociraptor
Joined: Nov 20, 2011
Posts: 479
Location: Kent, England
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:45 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm ... Suspicious!
For the freezer, the meter AND both alarms to fail at the same time...  Unlikely |
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Oldout
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 10, 2012
Posts: 1539
Location: Reading, PA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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| You are now entering the Twilight Zone. |
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HisDivineMajesty
Carolingian Emperor Extraordinaire
Joined: Feb 01, 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Planet Earth
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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At first, I imagined this to be a collection of brains in glass jars stolen by an evil madman.
The real news is probably even more tragic, though. |
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YippySkippy
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 1516
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | someone purposely destroyed this collection and hope their eye for detail prevents them from getting caught |
Does the mean you believe the collection was sabotaged by an autistic person, as those on the spectrum are known for their attention to detail? |
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Sylkat
Miskatonic University Student Body President
Joined: Sep 03, 2011
Posts: 6370
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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I have Aspergers.
My immune systems works splendidly.
Dr.Pardo needs to retire.
We do not need a 'cure', just guidance and supportiveness to help us negotiate and dwell in an alien world.
Were those brains donated in advance, knowingly, or stolen, which has been proven to have happened, time and time again......
Sylkat |
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LennytheWicked
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 23, 2011
Posts: 516
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe this is bad, but I would laugh if the reason for the malfunction was someone stepping over the power cord and unhooking it without knowing. It'd be like a cartoon except not.
It's probably not that though; I don't think they store organs in that kind of freezer. |
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snapcap
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 13, 2011
Age: 31
Posts: 2328
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe a guy on bath salts ate them?
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*some atheist walks outside and picks up stick*
some atheist to stick: "You're like me!" |
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Cio
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Feb 01, 2012
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| YippySkippy wrote: | | Does the mean you believe the collection was sabotaged by an autistic person, as those on the spectrum are known for their attention to detail? |
If the collection was sabotaged, then yes, I would say it is highly likely. Consider the owner and purpose.
| Sylkat wrote: | I have Aspergers.
My immune systems works splendidly.
Dr.Pardo needs to retire.
We do not need a 'cure', just guidance and supportiveness to help us negotiate and dwell in an alien world.
Were those brains donated in advance, knowingly, or stolen, which has been proven to have happened, time and time again......
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My girlfriends immune system works fine against the outside world. She does have an auto-immune disease however, so one does not exclude the other.
Dr. Pardo didn't do anything wrong if you ask me. He doesn't advocate a "cure", he researches brains. Like Declension said, knowledge!
Let's not argue about what you, I, or anyone else needs. (But clearly, my classmates would like it if they understood abstract relationships better. Perhaps a pill for that?)
After reading the article, I was under the impression some of the brains are donated by parents. I am suspicious what tactics where used. Not like anyway else was going to use em though. But your reaction lacks sources or argumentation, so not much I can add, anyone got info? |
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YippySkippy
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 1516
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:31 am Post subject: |
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A more sinister possibility is that someone from the pharmacutical industry is behind this. Someone who wants to make sure everyone's kids keep getting their many many vaccinations.
Or someone from the government, for the same reason. Remember, the government is concerned with "herd" immunity, not individual safety. |
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Icheb
Fortysomething
Joined: Sep 24, 2007
Posts: 2056
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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I thought Autism Speaks was somewhat controversial, to say the least.
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"If you're using half your concentration to look normal, then you're only half paying attention to whatever else you're doing." - Magneto in "X-Men: First Class" |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14798
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| YippySkippy wrote: | A more sinister possibility is that someone from the pharmacutical industry is behind this. Someone who wants to make sure everyone's kids keep getting their many many vaccinations.
Or someone from the government, for the same reason. Remember, the government is concerned with "herd" immunity, not individual safety. |
Umm vaccinations are against nasty diseases......how would destroying autistic brains have an effect on that? People get vaccinations to avoid diseases not because they think it helps autism. So I am confused. Hell if anything this hurts the pharmacutial industry because it will be harder for a cure to be found for them to sell.
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It's like alice in wonderland except, my names not alice and this is the real world not a dream. |
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YippySkippy
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 1516
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Umm vaccinations are against nasty diseases......how would destroying autistic brains have an effect on that? People get vaccinations to avoid diseases not because they think it helps autism. So I am confused. Hell if anything this hurts the pharmacutial industry because it will be harder for a cure to be found for them to sell. |
Vaccines trigger a response by the immune system. The study was examining a possible causality between the immune system and autism.
Hence (possibily) a causal chain linking vaccines and autism. |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14798
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| YippySkippy wrote: | | Quote: | | Umm vaccinations are against nasty diseases......how would destroying autistic brains have an effect on that? People get vaccinations to avoid diseases not because they think it helps autism. So I am confused. Hell if anything this hurts the pharmacutial industry because it will be harder for a cure to be found for them to sell. |
Vaccines trigger a response by the immune system. The study was examining a possible causality between the immune system and autism.
Hence (possibily) a causal chain linking vaccines and autism. |
I know what vaccines do and that they do not cause autism otherwise since most people get vaccines most people would have autism. See thing is its not as if people are born normal and develop autism they are autistic from birth so how does a vaccine cause autism?
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It's like alice in wonderland except, my names not alice and this is the real world not a dream. |
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