Other Publications by Dr Bret Palmer
Palmer B.S. Meta-analysis of three case controlled
studies and an ecological study into the link between cryptogenic epilepsy and
chronic toxoplasmosis infection.
Seizure. 2007;16(8):657-63.
A meta-analysis was performed on three case controlled studies which examined the relationship between latent toxoplasmosis gondii infection in the immunocompetent host and cryptogenic epilepsy. Further comparison was also made by examining the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis rates for 17 various countries, cities or regions against the prevalence rates for epilepsy in those regions.
Results: The results for the meta-analysis showed a log-odds ratio of 4.8 which approximates to a similar relative risk, (CI 2.6 to 7.8), with CI for all three studies being above 1. Seroprevalence rates for toxoplasmosis and prevalence rates of epilepsy showed a strong association ( p < 0.001).
Discussion: The prevalence of toxoplasmosis is an important factor in the prevalence of epilepsy with a probable link in the cryptogenic epilepsies. An area with a reduced burden of toxoplasmosis will also have a reduced burden of epilepsy. Neuropathophysiology findings from various studies show a common physical relationship of microglial nodule formation in Toxoplasma gondii infection and epilepsy. This analysis raises the possibility that one of the many causes of epilepsy may be an infectious agent, or that cryptogenic epilepsy may be a consequence of latent toxoplasmosis infection. This raises the possibility that public health measures to reduce toxoplasmosis infection may also result in a reduction in epilepsy.
Palmer B.S. A review on the spontaneous formation of
the building blocks of life and the generation of a set of hypotheses governing
universal abiogenesis.
International Journal of Astrobiology. Volume 12 /
Issue 01 / January 2013, pp 39-44.
Abstract: There have been a number of hypotheses
regarding abiogenesis, the ‘Metabolism First’ model and the ‘RNA World
Hypothesis’ are two such examples. All theories on abiogenesis make a set of
unstated assumptions with regard to the elemental make up of life or only apply
the theory to a primitive earth model. This paper reviews current knowledge
from the myriad of observations from a variety of scientific disciplines and
applies generally understood thermodynamic reasoning to explain the formation
of molecules known to be used by life. These arguments are used in this paper
to construct a set of new hypotheses which govern universal abiogenesis. The
intention of this paper is to show by the application of our known laws of
science that life is the end sequence of events of the fundamental forces which
affect the entire universe. From these
events a new hypotheses on abiogenesis can be formulated. The hypotheses proposed by this paper are incorporated in many of the current theories of abiogenesis, either assumed or accepted but very rarely stated or explained. The proposed set of five hypotheses are: (1) any celestial mass that has a body of liquid water and therefore has access to energy will form at least the building blocks of life, if not life itself.
(2) The major component of any life form anywhere in the universe will be H2O.
(3) Any organism, anywhere in the universe, will be carbon-based.
(4) All life in the universe will be composed of nucleic acid based molecules as its code for life.
(5) The cell is the universal unit of life.
Throughout this paper the background to the formulation of these hypotheses is discussed, as is the explanation of why these hypotheses are universal and not limited to an application of a primitive earth model. This set of hypotheses is also testable as any investigation of a celestial body which contains liquid water (e.g. Europa) will quickly provide evidence to prove or refute the proposed theory.
events a new hypotheses on abiogenesis can be formulated. The hypotheses proposed by this paper are incorporated in many of the current theories of abiogenesis, either assumed or accepted but very rarely stated or explained. The proposed set of five hypotheses are: (1) any celestial mass that has a body of liquid water and therefore has access to energy will form at least the building blocks of life, if not life itself.
(2) The major component of any life form anywhere in the universe will be H2O.
(3) Any organism, anywhere in the universe, will be carbon-based.
(4) All life in the universe will be composed of nucleic acid based molecules as its code for life.
(5) The cell is the universal unit of life.
Throughout this paper the background to the formulation of these hypotheses is discussed, as is the explanation of why these hypotheses are universal and not limited to an application of a primitive earth model. This set of hypotheses is also testable as any investigation of a celestial body which contains liquid water (e.g. Europa) will quickly provide evidence to prove or refute the proposed theory.
Bret S. Palmer, Olive Bennewith, Sue Simkin, Jayne Cooper, Keith Hawton, Nav Kapur, David Gunnell. Factors Influencing Coroners’ Verdicts: An Analysis of Verdicts Given by 12 Coroners to Researcher-defined Suicides in England in 2005. Journal of Public Health. April 2014. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdu024
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