Letters to the Editor

19061

In this article it was speculated that calorie restriction reduces the production of free radicals. We have found that food deprivation almost doubles concentrations of melatonin in various parts of the gastrointestinal system. Melatonin, a very potent scavenger of free radicals, has increased the lifespan of mice in several studies. It could be that the […]

19060

I agree that depression and smoking go together for a variety of physiological reasons, and it’s clear that people use nicotine to self-medicate. But your article’s title is unfortunate since we are treating people at our facility for nicotine-patch and nicotine-gum addiction. Our facility deals continuously with well-meaning attempts to respond to addiction, anxiety, and […]

19003

This article says, “While tornadoes are most common on the Great Plains and throughout the Mississippi River valley, they can occur almost anywhere in the United States.” Are tornadoes unique or more common in North America than elsewhere? Ruth HousmanNewton Center, Mass. Tornadoes have been spotted on every continent except Antarctica, says Harold Brooks of […]

19002

This article implies that the universe has a beginning and maybe an end. That seems to be a leap. I think we should not limit our thinking to a universe that was created at some point by a Big Bang or a Supreme Being. The facts in the article point to an event (maybe the […]

19059

Ian Gotlib doesn’t disprove “clinical lore” that depressed individuals often cry. People who are depressed typically become preoccupied with their faults and shortcomings and less interested in the world, much less compassionate for others. That the study described finds that some people who are depressed do not cry in response to another’s sad situation doesn’t […]

19001

I am deeply disturbed by the research involving manipulation of a rat’s brain to remotely control its behavior. Why does this article mention the researchers’ qualms about possible danger to the animal in entering risky situations but not the danger to the integrity of what we consider its conscious life? Ruth HousmanNewton Center, Mass.

19000

I’ve been hosting an interactive forum on the Web for the past 7 years. Our community is made up of people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and their families and friends. The nature of these diseases is such that sufferers tend to be socially isolated, and finding each other on the Web has opened up […]

19058

I am surprised at the matter-of-fact sounding statements in this article: “Dark matter reacts only to gravity. Unlike visible matter, it can’t be pushed by winds.” We hypothesize the existence of dark matter to explain observations that could be attributed to gravitational forces, but we don’t know what dark matter might be. How can one […]

19057

In this article, what, other than hubris, allows the modelers to conclude that the assumptions upon which their calculations are based are more valid than those upon which the genetic and paleontological calculations are based? Letting a computer do the number manipulations doesn’t change “garbage in, garbage out.” Leonard StoloffDelray Beach, Fla.

18999

Let me preface my comment by saying that I have been providing Faith M. Walker with access to semitame and hand-raised southern hairy-nosed wombats for her studies. You didn’t mention that Faith’s work has an application in studying the effects of habitat fragmentation, which is a major cause of the species’ decline. On a more […]

18998

Are you sure you quoted Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen accurately in this article? To wit: “. . . he was surprised to find that [the factors most influencing trihalomethane production in pools] include water temperature, large numbers of swimmers, and high concentrations of organic compounds.” Elevated temperature generally accelerates chemical reactions. More swimmers mean more grunge. […]

19056

In this article John L. Hubisz mentions that his research shows that 80 percent of elementary school teachers have never taken a physical science course yet are required to teach physical concepts. Disturbing as this is, the larger problem would seem to be parents who home school and have never taken the classes necessary to […]