Free Republic

The director of the U.S. government office that monitors scientific misconduct in biomedical research has resigned after 2 years out of frustration with the “remarkably dysfunctional” federal bureaucracy. David Wright, director of the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), writes in a scathing resignation letter obtained by ScienceInsider that the huge amount of time he spent trying to get things done made much of his time at ORI “the very worst job I have ever had.” ORI, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), monitors alleged research misconduct by researchers funded by the National Institutes of...

Philip Seymour was found dead in his West Village apartment this weekend of an apparent drug overdose. As his Hollywood colleagues mourn the actor's loss, many are still left wondering what happens to Hoffman's many projects he had in the works. Hoffman had a fairly hefty role in "The Hunger Games" franchise, having just been introduced as game master Plutarch Heavensbee in November's super successful "Catching Fire," which earned nearly $860 million at the box office. At the time of his death, Hoffman was just finishing up shooting on "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2," but Lionsgate says his...

Men with high blood pressure who drink moderate amounts of alcohol are less likely than nondrinkers to die of cardiovascular ailments like heart attacks and strokes, researchers reported yesterday. The study's findings suggest that moderate drinking not only has protective cardiovascular effects for the general population, as previous studies have shown, but that it is also protective for people who already have hypertension. The results are significant, the researchers said, because heavy drinking can contribute to high blood pressure, and some doctors warn hypertensive patients to avoid alcohol altogether. "There are plenty of people who seem to have the impression...