Welcome back, my friends, to the thread that never ends…

Orac —

Thanks for all that you do! I am continually amazed at your dedication and perspicacity, as well as your ability to maintain a sense of humor in spite of everything.

When I look over a horrible thread like the one you so mercifully terminated, I’m reminded of this Onion article;

http://www.theonion.com/articles/48hour-internet-outage-plunges-nation-into-product,779/

I’d been blessedly unaware of this silent monster.

There must be an interesting explanation for the May-August hiatus, but only the One Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken knows what it is.

And, Orac, you have my heartfelt sympathy for SB’s inexplicable lack of auto-shutdown for threads. Were it not for WordPress’ capability in this regard, those of us who only post with the same frequency as solar eclipses would have been over our eyeballs with this stuff long ago.

If you want to learn something new, read a book.

Scienceblog is slicker, but books are quicker.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Dochniak

I was the target of the filthy-mouthed pothead sock puppet that was banned. It was a terrible experience.

In the wee hours of this morning I was online and observed the filth spewed out against two of our “regulars”.

Sexist pig sock puppets tend to take advantage of Orac’s downtime to harass women.

There is essentially no evidence supporting the claim that vaccination is associated with-much less causally associated with-autism. Therefore, there is no point in investigating individual ingredients in vaccines.

Dochniak, the irrepressible book-spammer (#6):

“If you want to learn something new, read a book.”

Very true – although if you read Mr. Dochniak’s books, all you will learn is how little he understands about immunology, biology and science in general.

If, on the other hand, you’d like to expand your knowledge horizons (apart from the knowledge of how easy it is to write a book about a subject you know nothing about), I’d suggest reading a different author. Dr. Seuss would be a better choice.

Good to see that you made your way here, Mr. Dochniak – did you bring some data, or is your argument still based on your “beliefs” and a misunderstanding of immunology (e.g. from his most recent book, that IgG and IgM are part of the innate immune system).

Prometheus

Wow, I missed that whole flame war somehow. Prometheus, when you started that thread, you said that you had never written a book. Well, now, thanks to the sheer volume of nuttery flung your way, I believe you have. Fantastic work in the face of one of the weirdest trolls in RI history. Okay, the animal rights supermodel from last year wins that one, but MjD is a close, if rather sad, second. Congratulations to all the cogent, sassy and smart posters who endured that campaign.

@Michael J. Dochniak :

If you want to learn something new, read a book.

If you want us to pay money to buy your book, you’d have to give us some reason to think that it’d be worth the money. Nothing you’ve said here in Orac’s blog has provided any reason to think so, and the excerpts of the book that Prometheus has analyzed give us good reason to think that it definitely won’t be worth the money.

But, Mr. Dochniak, I am reading a book: The Willowbrook Wars. I hope to finish it today.

I recently finished Pox: An American History, The Emperor of All Maladies, Schuyler’s Monster, a Father’s Journey with his Wordless Daughter, Among the Truthers, Planet of Viruses, Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose, Nonsense on Stilts, Quantum Man, The Disappearing Spoon, The Mathematics of Life, The Panic Virus, The Psychopath Test, Deadly Choices, Wicked Bugs, Wicked Plants, Founding Gardeners, The Story of Charlotte’s Web and House on Fire, the Fight to Eradicate Smallpox.

Soon I’ll be starting the Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness, and then I will get The Drunkard’s Walk from the library.

I really have no time nor desire to read either of your books after seeing your behavior on this blog.

(in case anyone is curious, I cut the book information from the library emails telling me a hold was available, and paste them into a spreadsheet)

May I make a suggestion…to shut down comments on this subject. I was very upset early this A.M. to see the vicious filthy attacks directed at women who post here. The subject of this blog is a real sick human being.

Your statement can only be supported if the immune system doesn’t influence neurological development

No, my statement can only be supported if the bulk of currently available research does not support any correlation between autism and vaccination. Which any jaunt through medline will reveal to be correct: there is no correlation between vaccination and autism. Wakefield’s “research” proved to be fraudulent and subsequent studies simply have not supported any correlation. The immune system may influence neurological development in some ways, but this isn’t one of them.

Anyway, if latex provokes autism, why isn’t every child ever treated for a serious medical condition in early childhood autistic? Latex is pretty ubiquitous in hospitals, yet patients with sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, a history of early childhood/infancy ALL, etc are rarely autistic. Is latex given as part of a vaccine somehow magic?

Dianne writes (#22), “Anyway, if latex provokes autism, why isn’t every child ever treated for a serious medical condition in early childhood autistic? Latex is pretty ubiquitous in hospitals, yet patients with sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, a history of early childhood/infancy ALL, etc are rarely autistic. Is latex given as part of a vaccine somehow magic?

MjD’s response:

Finally, a good question! There are many factors that can influence the incidence and prevalence of a Th2 immune response. Such factors may include genetic, epigenetic, and cormorbid factors. Furthermore, the prevalence of cross-reactivity in an infant’s adaptive immune system also influences the severity of allergy-induced regressive autism.

Details can be extracted from the Nova Science book “Allergies and Autism”.

MjD

so how well was i banned.

Today’s reading is from the book of Internet Common Law, Title 21, Section 4, “Sock Puppets”:
[clears throat]

In cases of egregious and repetitive sockpuppetry, it is considered the blog owner’s prerogative to impose any punishment up to and including banning, on the sockpuppet, and to modify the sockpuppet’s posts without restriction, such modification to be determined at the sole discretion of the blog owner, the scope of which is considered explicitly to include disemvowelling or any other mockery whatsoever.

Now, as we all realize, Orac is a busy box of blinking lights, but it may not be wise to assume that he has no CPU cycles available for a little … improvement … of certain comments.

@23

Apparently, the fact that autism existed before Kanner defined it appears to have escaped Michael J. Dochniak.

Prior to Kanner the substitution of changelings by faeries was a real phenomenon. Presumably something that happened around 1930 (perhaps the Great Depression) caused them to give up this practice just as autism “suddenly” appeared.

Just one from me lilady..

MjD has now been reduced to sock puppetting. Even more proof that the deceit of antivaxx cultists knows no limit. If someone believes that their facts and reasoning are correct, why resort to such blatant deception? Says everything anyone needs to know about MjD’s character.

Personally I thought MjD’s spamming of this blog with ads for his books called for a ban, but I guess the old thread did serve to show just how clueless and twisted this person is.

extremely hard to ban someone.

No, it’s more a matter of how much effort one cares to expend and how dimwitted the nuisance is. I’m guessing that in your case a simple list of inbound addresses would be telling.

“…that Latex used in the packaging of some vaccines causes autism.”

So it was latex all along. Well that’s good to know, surely this one can be easily rectified. Once we switch to different packaging I’m sure the vaccine detractors will all go away.

It would appear that “lll” was overlooked. [/bofh]

Orac, if you can’t effectively govern the posts you present here at “Respectful Insolence” the sponsors will frown upon such inaction. Please do not allow indecent posts.

I am not sure what sponsors you are referring to or why sponsorship is of any concern to a well employed surgeon/researcher. At any rate, I frequently find statements promoting dangerous and unproven health treatments much more indecent than use of profanity or unsavory imagery.

Igor writes (#36), “So it was latex all along. Well that’s good to know, surely this one can be easily rectified. Once we switch to different packaging I’m sure the vaccine detractors will all go away”.

MjD’s response:

A good start when big pharma begins to completely remove natural-latex from vaccine packaging.

In continuation, big pharma needs to encourage latex avoidance after vaccinations due to Th2 shifting. For example, no natural-latex bottle nipples or natural-latex pacifiers after vaccines.

In an effort to reduce allergy-induced regressive autism, it’s time to put medical products, and infant products, made from H. brasiliensis natural-latex out of business.

MjD

In an effort to reduce allergy-induced regressive autism, it’s time to put medical products, and infant products, made from H. brasiliensis natural-latex out of business.

It might be time to face the fact that blabbering away here is not going to turn Vytex into a gold mine. I mean, seriously, what do you think prospective investors would make of this display?

Elburto writes (#40), “That’s the end result of people like Dochniak, Wakefield, McCarthy and Mercola being allowed to squirt their bullshit where it can land on vulnerable people”.

MjD’s response:

Have you ever heard of vaccines with latex warnings? That’s where big pharma is allowed to manufacture vaccines that can inject hevea-allergens into children.

Hevea-allergens are a catalyst for the sales of allergy medication.

Read, and get educated, about latex allergy.

Latex exposure can adversely affect vulnerable children.

MjD

Mrs. Woo writes (#44), “Sadly, your supposition goes outside what is known and ignores many things which make it implausible because you started your search proving what you saw, not realizing you were dealing with confirmation bias to begin with”.

MjD’s response:

This study can not be ignored.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20957522

MjD

So, uh. Really? Allergy induced Autism?

You know, my Pathophys is not quite up to par with that of many others – being a Paramedic I typically don’t treat autistic patients just for autism – but can someone take a moment to explain this proposed mechanism by which latex allergies tend to cause autism? Because, in my experience, a latex allergy tends to be the anaphylactic/anaphylactoid type reactions that tend to NEED the skills and patho training I do have. The kind that get lots of Alpha and Beta-2 agonists, and H1/H2 Blockers.

You know, the old thread was mildly entertaining and educational for the first couple hundred comments. But MjD’s truly jaw-dropping level of intransience in the face of far superior logic and evidence (which is the nice way of putting it, I might add) quickly became more frustrating than useful. And lo-and-behold, he’s now doing the exact same thing to this thread.

To be blunt, I think his presence here has outlived any potential usefulness it may have once had. Orac, if you decide to ban him, just know that you’ll have at least one lurker applauding that decision, and I seriously doubt I’ll be the only one.

@Indigo Fire

I have to admit I learned a bit debating Mr. MjD in that thread as well (and it opened up an interest in seriously understanding the immune system since some of my struggles are considered autoimmune in nature). I’ve lurked and read with a few polite comments here and there for more than two years at this point (possibly longer – probably found this website when we were dealing with a cancer scare here at home – that would have been three years ago, I guess).

Lurking is great, but I’ve found that taking the courage to put questions out there, if you’re trying to do it with an understanding of the topic, requires even MORE learning… just kind of trying to encourage you on the lurking thing to maybe peek out more often. 🙂

@Mrs. Woo

Yeah, I really should post here more often instead of lurking. However, since I’m just an undergrad I generally don’t have much to add to the debate that the more highly educated commenters here haven’t already covered in greater detail, but I generally understand enough of what’s going on that I don’t feel much need to ask questions. There’s also the fact that I have a compulsive need to recheck my posts about 10 times before I actually complete them, which means that it sometimes takes me 10 minutes just to post a few sentences when I’m feeling especially neurotic.

@Lilady

To tell the truth, I don’t really think he’s the one behind the nasty, angry sock-puppets. Most of his posts are just so cheerfully vacuous and robotic that I have a hard time imagining him as the profanity-spewing, caps-lock-loving, sock-puppet hailing from the Kingdom of Trolls. If they are the same person, then it means he either has split personalities, or he’s the brilliant but evil King of Trolls who’s been deliberately playing the fool since the very beginning.

I could certainly be wrong, but I’m inclined to think that the sock-puppets are just some anti-vaccine nut who’s decided they’re MjD’s “ally” and is just making a fuss because they’re of the opinion that MjD isn’t being, ahem, “hard enough” on us pro-vaccine types. After all, it’s common knowledge that logic and evidence are nowhere near as important as anger and insults, right? 😉

@ Indigo_Fire: I might agree with you..however I was online when this was playing out. He hasn’t in any way denied the sockpuppetry since he started posting again, has he?

Please come back to post again and do not worry about re-checking phrasing or punctuation. Heh, heh, everyone knows I am the undisputed queen of the run-on sentence.

@lilady

He hasn’t in any way denied the sockpuppetry since he started posting again, has he?

I missed most of the insults (caught some this morning), and can’t judge their authorship. But as to MjD denying authorship: why would he? He also doesn’t actually answer simple questions.

He whose name shall not be mentioned posted from London; this sockpuppet posted from the central time zone, USA.

I cannot fathom why Dochniak has not denied the sockpuppetry..any rational/innocent person would..yes?

I may be mistaken, but he was accused on sockpuppetry on the earlier postings and still has not denied their authorship.

@ Mr. Dochniak: Why don’t you tell us that you did not indulge in this behavior?

@ Indigo_Fire: You are of course correct with your astute analysis of Dochniak’s behavior. He seems devoid of any rational thinking, will not reply to anyone who questions him and just ignores criticism of his theories.

One other question. What’s with the relatively new affectation of referring to himself in the 3rd person?

@lilady #65

What’s with the relatively new affectation of referring to himself in the 3rd person?

It’s not new. He’s been doing it for weeks. Trust me on this one.
His postings escalated at the end of August 2011. He became seriously repetitive on Oct 23, which is what had prompted me to count up the posts. The “MjD’s response” tagline appeared prior to that. I assume it’s because he doesn’t know how to google “htlm tags,” and is using that line as a substitute for using them.

Narad and Indigo_Fire are both spot on. I’m really not sure why you think he’d be responding to anything rationally. As far as I can tell, he’s all about spin.

@Blackheart:

What you describe is quite plausible. However, where is the verification for it? No one has any definite proof that it does infact happen. Plausible or not, reality is the final decider and so far you have no evidence.

Mr Dochniak, with his qualifications is not a very reliable source. He has also amply demonstrated on this website that he has little knowledge of the way the immune system functions further decreasing his credibility.

Now, the logical flaws in your argument:
1. Let us assume that latex allergy does in fact cause autism in the genetically predisposed. Considering the amount of latex one is exposed to in our day to day lives, vaccines are an insignificant source of that exposure. Even if we discontinue the practice of vaccination, they will still be exposed to latex and still develop autism. However, without the protection from the vaccines they will also fall prey to measles, mumps, rubella, Diptheria, Pertussis, Chicken pox, Hib meningitis…
So why should we discontinue vaccination considering that it has benefits and it causes no additional risk of autism?

2. Now let us assume that exposure to measles can cause autism in those genetically predisposed (as you hypothesize). Considering the high prevalence of measles and high infectivity of the measles virus in the prevaccination era, almost everyone would be exposed to the measles virus at some point in their life. Post vaccination era, everyone is exposed to the measles virus but in its attenuated form which doesn’t cause disease. So, considering your notion, how has vaccination spurred an increase autism when everyone was exposed to the virus and everyone is still exposed to the virus?

Assumptions appart, after 14 years of the bogus study, several additional studies and meta-analyses later, no link has been found between autism and vaccination. Your hypothesis falls right there.

First off, glad to see you posting, Indigo_Fire. Not all of us are trained scientists or physicians, so no need to fear on that front. The more voices opining, the greater the breadth of discussion, no?

@MjD

Did I read that right? Are you suggesting that there was no autism before 1933-ish? That autism began due to latex allergies? You appear to be falling into the same blunder as many other “autism researchers” on the anti-vaccine front. Namely, thinking that autism did not exist before Kanner created the diagnosis. The problem is that the term “autism” was used prior to Kanner. Not only that, but symptoms which, though classed under a different name, sound very much like what we call autism today were described as early as 1906.

Then again, why should I be surprised at Mike’s lack of research.

Mike has an addiction to shill his pulp fiction. (Doggerel’s easy. Science, on the other hand, is hard. You’d do well to learn that, Mike.)

Well yes, that gives us over half a million autistic people who have ‘unusual causes’.

Yup – you feed him a tidbit that he can fit INTO his supposition (supposition seems much more accurate than “theory” in this case) and he immediately uses it to once again assert that he could be right.

If latex allergy causes autism why aren’t we seeing cases of adult-onset autism from people who develop the latex allergy over time?

@ Blackheart: Your boldface “quotation” was lifted directly from the abstract in PubMed # 9185306, from a 1997 article that appeared in “Trends in Neuroscience”. Did you forget to source it? I don’t see anything in that abstract about latex-induced autism…did I miss something?

Mr. Dochniak do you deny that you were responsible for the sockpuppetry?

You’re getting rather predictable. I surmised you would either pick schizophrenia and/or Alzheimer’s (especially since there is now early onset documented) as the “adult onset autism.”

What basis is that conclusion drawn from? Are there functional neurological similarities between the two which suggests that people on the autism spectrum should/could actually be just as readily placed on the schizophrenia spectrum instead? If this is the case, why aren’t hasn’t medicine just labeled autistic patients schizophrenic instead of creating a different diagnosis to label their functioning?

Or is your leap based on the fact that you are neither a trained physician nor psychiatrist and therefore have no real knowledge of the diagnostic criteria of either illness?

Edited verdion of my previous post (sorry, I noticed the mistakes after posting):

I didn’t have the patience to read your whole article, but being from India, I would like to put the author’s false assumptions in his opening paragraphs into the right perspective.

It isn’t that schizophrenia occurs only among the highly educated/westernized castes. The members of the said “castes” attribute the symptoms to mental illness and take the patient to a physician (as awareness increases, directly to a psychiatrist). The less educated and people in interior villages just attribute it to possession by evil demons (I’m not making this part up) and take them to the local exorcist (Tantriks), or confine them to a small room or just stone them to death.

I don’t have any statistics to show (Mental health awareness and statistics on mental illnesses in India are poor but work has started in the area). However, we had a psychiatry professor who had retired from NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and NeuroSciences) and had also been working closely with a Non-Governmental Organization to spread awareness regarding mental health in the rural areas. He was also involved in the rescue of mentally ill patients in the interior villages, who were being persecuted by the villagers based on superstition.

He would often mention that mental illness is quite prevalent in the rural areas but usually goes undiagnosed and thus untreated.

Also, in India mental illness has a certain stigma attached to it, especially in small towns where people are aware (unlike the villages) but don’t come forward, fearing the stigma.

The author’s conclusions in the opening paragraphs are definitely questionable.

Since MjD seems impervious to science, perhaps we should engage him in rhyme:

When Mikey invaded a science forum
He made wild claims none could fathom.
When asked, “Where’s your proof?”
He remained quite aloof
And just repeated his mantra ad nauseam.

EmJayDee fell out of the crazy tree,
and hit every branch on the way down.

He hit the ground, exclaimed out loud, “Brasiliensis! Dementis! I am Thingy’s Word-salad apprentice!”,
and was still.

Nurses aided with latex, wounded EmJayDee became an autistic statistic.

Big Pharma had harmed, in the same way as bananas.
Big Latex, Big Paychecks,
An insolent conspiracy, of internet pseudonymicity
To silence brave EmJayDee,
Voice of vaccinedamaged babies.

EmJayDee:

Dr. Foster’s latex-allergy hypothesis is creative, insightful, and well written.

Emphasis on the “creative.” It is almost like it all came to him in a dream.

Dr. Foster’s latex-allergy hypothesis is creative, insightful, and well written.

Hans Christian Andersen’s tales are also well written creative and insightful. None of that leads me to believe there are mermaids in the ocean depths.

MJD, I suggest you try a thought experiment prior to posting. Instead of using nothing but adjectives to bolster your claims, try using more nouns. For example, “Dr. Foster’s hypothesis is validated by his {verb, noun, noun, noun}. That way it will be hypocritical of me to simply accuse you of being stifled and unimaginative with an unjustified sense of infallibility of your ludicrous beliefs. I will actually have to provide specific factual criticisms. ….which I did above. ….and so did everyone else….with notable exceptions.

@87:

What a curious turn of phrase: “Dr. Foster is silently inclusive in the questions we ask and the answers we seek.”

I recognized it from the prior thread, where it appeared as, “Teachers are silently inclusive in the questions we ask and the answers we seek.”

Does anyone know where it comes from?  I don’t ask what it means, as I’m not sure that it actually has any meaning, but I’m intrigued as to where it originated. I didn’t find it with Google (my google-fu is not up to par), not even on this very site. 

Igor,

In Dr. Foster’s defense, he didn’t claim that AIDS wasn’t the result of HIV infection – his claim was that HIV (the virus) depleted the body’s selenium and this selenium depletion caused AIDS. His argument appears to be that people infected with HIV can prevent or delay AIDS by using selenium supplements.

No doubt Dr. Foster’s musings on latex and schizophrenia are “creative, insightful, and well written”, but they – like Mr. Dochniak’s similar musings on latex – are also fact-free, unsupported and implausible.

When I read Dr. Foster’s paper, I could almost hear the “click” of crank magnetism between those two. Obviously, Mr. Dochniak sees nothing odd with Dr. Foster’s “hypotheses”, probably because they both live in a world where being “creative, insightful, and well written” is an acceptable substitute for being correct.

Prometheus

@Prometheus:

probably because they both live in a world where being “creative, insightful, and well written” is an acceptable substitute for being correct.

Or possible a world where it’s not possible to simultaneously be incorrect and “creative, insightful, and well written”.

Reminder: Mr. Dochniak has absolutely no proof that vaccines or even latex cause autism. “Allergy-induced regressive autism” is a myth made up by Mr. Dochniak.

Dude, you have had since May to provide actual proof. You failed. There is no reason to believe anything you write.

Get over yourself.

Orac writes in the introduction, “To all my regulars who took part in refuting Mr. Dochniak, I salute you”

MjD’s response:

Congratulations Orac, Igor is the most preaching regular I’ve read to date.

His passion and loyalty to refuting any immunological connection to autism is… old school.

MjD

“Dude, you have had since May to provide actual proof. You failed. There is no reason to believe anything you write.”

Don’t you get it. By not providing any evidence whatsoever to support his claims, he is actually letting you see the evidence more clearly. His answers are inclusive in your questions. It’s all there in my book “Hevea-allergen in vaccines: The Source of Eternal Youth. It comes free with every failure to purchase MJD’s book.

Congratulations Orac, Igor is the most preaching regular I’ve read to date.
His passion and loyalty to refuting any immunological connection to autism is… old school.

My faith is humor my pulpit an ergonomic chair. And sinceI never actually thought you were amenable to adjusting your worldview with new evidence, I abandoned refuting in favor of old fashioned mocking. I think vehemently opposing “the truth” can be a waste of time, so I skip right to ridiculing it while you do all the accepting.

Why are cranks so often completely unable to detect satire, irony, mockery, etc.? Are the neurological processes necessary for these devices located in the same brain area regulating logical thinking?

I don’t know, you are promoting dangerous lunacy by advising that others refrain from vaccinating. I need friends like you the same way I need tetanus. Since you were patently unable or unwilling to engage in an intellectually honsest debate by answering even simple questions in a straightforward manner, and you simply kept on repeating the same thing, i needed to entertain myself with this friendly banter.

Remember, I was sarcastically addressing you, not refuting your position. I acknowledge my inability to refute your claims, the same way I am unable to refute my friend’s hypothesis that you are actually wearing a latex glove on your head which appears to restrict airflow resulting in nonsensical claims (I keep on telling him you are against latex, but he is not convinced). You are both correct as a result of my inability tom refute you.

Thanks, lillady, it appears I am futting after all, although I won’t go as far as to claim I’m “totally awesome.”

Igor writes (#106), “I think vehemently opposing “the truth” can be a waste of time, so I skip right to ridiculing it while you do all the accepting.

MjD’s response:

Is Igor an acronym for International Grandmaster of the Refuters?

MjD

This has become an exercise in “banging your head against a brick stone wall”. It’s clear that YemJayDee is (unsuccessfully) advertising for his book and is basically a troll. I must give thingy credit for atleast having more variety in her word salads. YemJayDee’s word salad is just a monotonous drone of “I HATE LATEX! buy my book”…. “I HATE LATEX! buy my book”….
And our comments here are just defeating the purpose of shutting down the previous thread.

Sneak peek inside the book “Vaccine Delivery and Autism – The Latex Connection”, Chapter 8 (Unhealthy Absorption), Page 50.

The Hevea-allergens can leach from natural-latex products (e.g., bottle nipples, pacifiers) and be absorbed under the tongue. If the infant has natural-latex sensitivity, an adverse immune response is possible. In support, latex allergy has been known to cause anaphylactic shock during sublingual immunotherapy.(4)

MjD

Does this article make any sense to Orac’s army?

http://www.accesspress.org/2006/04/autism-getting-to-know-a-baffling-disorder/

MjD

@116: a sneakier peek into my upcoming publication:

“Statistical regression of the prevalence of neurological disorders following exposure to literature authored under the direct supervision of Michael J. Dochniak.”

Michael J. Dchniak’s publication, although ambitious in its scope, is nevertheless plagued by a host of rather troubling issues. In a recent case study of those exposed to the seemingly innocuous contents of the book, At least several individuals reported a decrease in neural activity normally associated with the onset of a degenerative neurological condition.

Upon further analysis, the author was able to dismiss the syntax and grammar as causative agents. In a subsequent pilot study, the reading and attempt at comprehending the actual information contained in the book correlated with the glial decay.

In the absence of further studies, readers are cautioned against reckless reading of the contents pf MJD’s treatise. Of course, I welcome MJD to present evidence or studies discrediting the possibility of the link between the information contained in his book and neuro decay. I will endeavor to publish such evidence if and when it becomes available.

“Is Igor an acronym for International Grandmaster of the Refuters?”

Close. It’s stands for “Inclusive Gang of Russians” Its a bit of a misnomer since you can’t join. It is also my name, Michael.

I do applaud your persistence. I think at this point you should have realized that you would have hard time giving your book away on this board. Your best chance at anyone here reading it all is to continue posting excerpts. In fact, I won’t buy your book even in a Farenheight 451 world.

T-reg

What you describe is quite plausible.

It certainly is.

However, where is the verification for it?

Some very interesting work has been published recently more than adding to this. It is a line of plausible enquiry not a fact.

No one has any definite proof that it does in fact happen.

That’s a sad day for science then … can you let the cosmologists know.

Mr Dochniak, with his qualifications is not a very reliable source.

I don’t know his qualifications or his body of work or experience therefore I am reluctant to comment on either his or yours or anyone else on these boards.

he has little knowledge of the way the immune system functions further decreasing his credibility.

I’ve seen many gross errors on this board (none by me) that would also indicate some question over credibility.

Now, the logical flaws in your argument:
1. Let us assume …

Ooops … there’s your first error.

Considering the amount of latex one is exposed to in our day to day lives, vaccines are an insignificant source of that exposure.

I am not an infant … there’s your second error.

Even if we discontinue the practice of vaccination …

Why would you discontinue the practice of vaccination ?

Thimerosal has been removed successfully hasn’t it ? With little effect on efficacy ?

That would be another error.

they will still be exposed to latex

Yes

still develop autism

This would depend on the mechanism. Protein induced ? There’d be lots of question around this yet to be elucidated by science. We know some vaccines trigger epilepsy in genetic vulnerable children but how this operates exactly is problematic.

However, without the protection from the vaccines they will also fall prey to measles, mumps, rubella, Diptheria, Pertussis, Chicken pox, Hib meningitis…

See above

So why should we discontinue vaccination considering that it has benefits and it causes no additional risk of autism?

The true question is should we be more cautious in delivering vaccines to the infant immune system considering the evidence of immune system dysfunction in autism. Noting that our understanding of how vaccines and the immune system both operate is incomplete ?

Yes.

Now let us assume … (as you hypothesize).

See above

that exposure to measles can cause autism in those genetically predisposed

Actually what I think is far more complex.

So, considering your notion, how has vaccination spurred an increase autism when everyone was exposed to the virus and everyone is still exposed to the virus?

In what way were they exposed to the virus that differs from the pre-vaccination era ? Do these differences account for what you are proposing or is there a more complex interaction.

Science has a long way to go in this debate on vaccines and safety.

The Madsen study suggested that measles vaccine was actually protective for ‘autism’.

Hornig showed in her study that 87% of patients studied had regression.

Amaral shows differing phenotyoes of autism.

High Titre measles / Pertussis vaccine was associated with an increase in mortality that endangered 500,000 infant girls.

Life is full of little amazing factoids.

Your hypothesis falls right there.

Well the door is not yet closed on vaccinations and autism.

If some autism phenotype is an immune system disease …?

That’s IT! I’ve found the Panacea for all ailments!
A very safe alternative to vaccination is here… and it’s latex FREE!
Find a calm place at a comfortable time (early morning would be preferable). Sit in a relaxed posture with your spine upright and begin chanting: “Aum! I…HATE…LATEX! buymybook!”
Chant this magical and healing phrase atleast 15,000 times a day, every day, day after day and find that it changes your life and protects you against all ailments (ESPECIALLY autism).

Of course, I have no studies to prove that it really works. It came to me in a dream and I have written extensively about it. That should count as enough proof – just read my book.

I can’t prove it to you on this forum because I have exhausted my intellectual capacity while writing the book and now even a basic understanding of the subject is beyond my grasp (as is evident to you from my posts, by now). However, I was at the prime of my understanding on the subject while I wrote my book, so reading it will provide you with conclusive proof.

YumJayDee

“Abandoning the reality that hevea-allergen contamination in vaccines is not potentially harmful is dangerous.”

Did no one parse this sentence? It is a cry for help! MjD acknowledges “the reality that hevea-allergen contamination in vaccines is not potentially harmful”, and then states that abandoning that reality is harmful. Which it is.

@Todd:

Well, in the previous thread, Mikey did admit that his focus is validating the null hypothesis, which is “latex allergies do not cause autism”.

Wait, I thought he claimed that “latex allergies do cause autism” was the null hypothesis.

It’s apparent from the responses above that Orac’s minions (excluding blackheart) are steadfast.

In my opinion, there can be no compromise when it comes to vaccine safety for children.

Latex warnings on vaccines are a contraindiction.

When the packaging of vaccines (i.e., latex) can do great harm, it must be replaced with a safer alternative.

The technology exists in that latex-free vaccines are available.

Sincerely,

MjD

Latex in Food Packaging Poses Risk:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/latex.html

Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

I guess childhood truama (e.g. being pelted with latex erasers by classmates at school) can have damaging effects on intellect and the capacity for rational thought….

@ MjD

Even the Ambulance Service has a Latex Allergy Support Group.

So? What does that have to do with any supposed connection between latex allergies and autism? I know several people with latex allergies, none of them have autism. You’re assuming some kind of connection when you’ve failed, time and again, to prove any kind of connection. Heck, you haven’t even been able to show a statistical correlation, much less prove cause.

The support group for those injured by vaccines having a latex warning.

http://vaers.hhs.gov/index

Huh? That’s VAERS, which is just a database of supposed vaccine injury reports. No science; no proof of any actual connection between a vaccine and any injury. Certainly no proof of any link between latex, vaccines and autism. Just a government sponsored vaccine version of Yelp (and just as reliable.)

T-reg writes (#139), “Your qualifications suggest that you wouldn’t even have a basic idea of the the subject. Your words on this forum have only gone ahead to prove your ignorance. Please stop wasting our time.

MjD’s response:

I respecfully disagree…

The dramatic increase in autism over the last 30 years indicates environmental insult as a dominant factor.

In the health care industry, it’s well known that the antigenic proteins in H. brasiliensis natural-latex have been dramatically introduced over the last 30-40 years.

The greater number of vaccinations, combined with vaccine solutions that are contaminated with said proteins, continue to place immunologically senitive children at risk for Iatrogenic autism.

A mechanism on how the antigenic proteins in latex can induce autism are described in the book, “Vaccine Delivery and Autism – The Latex Connection”.

MjD

Technically, all he said was that his focus was validating the null hypothesis. Now, anyone who actually understands science would know that the null hypothesis in this situation is that latex allergies do not cause autism. Mikey, being scientifically illiterate, may have assumed the opposite.

I think I can shed light on this one. Mikey the spammer, early on in the previous thread when we still had reason to think he could be reached by sane discussion, said that the null hypothesis would be satisfied if the whole world was purged of latex exposure and that didn’t reduce the incidence of autism.* So, when he says “my focus is on validating the null hypothesis” it sounds like he’s actually making some token attempt at figuring out whether his wild-ass guess is actually correct – but what he actually means is, his focus is entirely on making people do what he wants… and if afterwards it turns out that what he pushed for and spammed for and deceived for had no basis in reality, and did nobody any good and many people a great deal of harm, oh well. Nice, hunh? Reminds me of the Salem witch trials where the only way to be found innocent of being a witch was to die as a result of the testing procedure. Mikey the spammer has his spiritual kin.

* I’m paraphrasing, ’cause I’m damned if I’m gonna go look it up for the sake of Mikey the spammer.

@ Matthew Cline

I think MjD is trying to say “regardless of whether or not latex allergies lead to autism, all vaccines should be completely hypoallergenic; thus, even if latex allergies don’t cause autism, it’s still the case that 100% of vaccines should be latex free”.

I think it’s even simpler: “Latex is bad. All latex must go away.” The attempt at tying to autism and vaccines is just jumping on a convenient bandwagon.

Mr. Cline writes (#143), “If you mean “it’s well known in the health care industry that the exposure of patients to latex allergens has dramatically increased in the last 30-40 years”, you’re going to have to provide some evidence for that”.

MjD’s response:

Here’s an article that talks about the increase.

http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/bandopubs/NHSSlatex.html

MjD

Let’s review what’s been discussed.

Proteins inherent in natural rubber latex are known to cause severe and pervasive immune responses.

More specifically, the Hevea Brasiliensis proteins in natural rubber latex may trigger immunoglobulin-E mediated reaction antibodies and influence cross-react immune responses to other exogenous/endogenous proteins.

Repeated exposure to the Hevea Brasiliensis proteins has been shown to cause an increased incidence of sensitization, adverse allergic reactions, and even death through anaphylactic shock.

Natural rubber latex has seen a dramatic increase in usage over the last 30-40 years (e.g., health care industry, consumer products).

The timing, frequency, intensity, and type of exposure to such proteins may influence the incidence, degree of atypicality, and prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (i.e., allergy-induced regressive autism).

Therefore, research efforts continue to be directed at exploring how immune responses to such proteins affect lymphocyte sensitivity, enzyme regulation, and neural formation during prenatal/neonatal development.

MjD

Narad writes (#147), “The intellectual progression of mankind rests on the shoulders of immunity.”

MjD’s response:

The intellectual regression of mankind rests on the shoulders of latex contaminated vaccines.

Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

Ask the Vystar Company yourself.

Thanks, but I’m asking you.

Narad writes (#152), “Thanks, but I’m asking you”.

and

(#149), “…what’s your stake in Vytex’s product?

MjD’s response:

The Vytex product contains residual Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex. Therefore, I no longer recommend its use.

The book “Vaccine Delivery and Autism – The Latex Connection” describes how the Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex may be formed in some vaccine solutions.

The Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex is a dangerous combination.

MjD

The Vytex product contains residual Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex. Therefore, I no longer recommend its use.

So, basically, they told you to take a hike?

@MjD:

Here’s an article that talks about the increase.

http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/bandopubs/NHSSlatex.html

Then is it your position that exposure to latex gloves is a primary cause of increase of regressive autism, rather than the latex in vaccine syringes, since the use of latex gloves has increased over the relevant time period, but over the same time period latex-free vaccine syringes have been offered where before there were no latex free syringes? If not, and you’re still insisting that exposure of children to latex via vaccines has also increased over the relevant time period, what’s your evidence for that?

@MjD:

Proteins inherent in natural rubber latex are known to cause severe and pervasive immune responses.

More specifically, the Hevea Brasiliensis proteins in natural rubber latex may trigger immunoglobulin-E mediated reaction antibodies and influence cross-react immune responses to other exogenous/endogenous proteins.

Repeated exposure to the Hevea Brasiliensis proteins has been shown to cause an increased incidence of sensitization, adverse allergic reactions, and even death through anaphylactic shock.

The same things are true of lots of things which can induce allergy, like peanuts. You haven’t presented any evidence that latex is more likely to cause these things than other allergens, or cause them in a greater degree in those people who do become allergic.

MjD, here is the accusation you keep making: “The Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex is a dangerous combination.” Is it just to make accusations without evidence?

Bahahaha, now MJD’s moved onto the evil aluminum adjuvants, just like all the other anti-vaxxers. And here I thought that his latex argument was at least rather original, if completely unsupported and illogically structured.

I really shouldn’t laugh, since even quackery as nonsensical as this has the potential to convince some credulous souls to forgo vaccinations, but MJD’s argument and continued refusal to consider the actual evidence is so absurd and irrational that I can only think of two ways to cope: humor or despair. I’ll take the black humor over despair, thank you.

Btw, a quick search reveals that Aluminum hydroxide is also the active ingredient in Maalox and a couple of other antacids. Does this mean that I’ll get autism if I take Maalox for my heartburn? 😛

Indigo_Fire writes (#164), “Does this mean that I’ll get autism if I take Maalox for my heartburn?”

MjD’s response:

If this line of questioning continues, this thread could go on for years.

No comment on the Maalox question, thank you.

MjD

It is well known that the Aluminum hydroxide/Hevea-allergen complex is used to induce latex allergy in amimal studies.

Any evidence for that claim? And if it is true, do you have any evidence that vaccines contain the equivalent dose for humans?

(A voice has started whispering sweet Drosophila in my ear, for anyone familiar with the man left holding the umbrella.)

Narad writes (#167), “What has changed since your delivery of this presentation?”

MjD’s response:

Vaccine induced autism.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Dochniak

T-reg writes (#171), “When you ask him to prove that “latex causes autism” he points you to “latex causes allergy”

MjD’s response:

Please understand that my goal is validation of the null hypothesis. Removal of latex in vaccine packaging is part of this validation process.

MjD

Narad:

I’m now with Chris: the sooner you obtain professional psychiatric help, the better off you’ll be.

Thanks. I have noticed that the frequency and disjointedness of his comments increase at about this time of night, about 10 to midnight in his time zone.

MJD: I read your book. It is worthless. It presents your errors in basic biology and outright lies about vaccines. No one should read it. It is valueless. And you, sir, are a liar.

Narad,

Here’s the Honeycutt patent. Hope this site works.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=23&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=honeycutt&s2=latex&OS=honeycutt+AND+latex&RS=honeycutt+AND+latex

MjD

T-reg writes (#179), “To validate the null hypothesis you want to stop all of mankind from exposure to latex without any proof”

MjD’s response:

Hospital are starting to ban latex.

http://www.physorg.com/news119886779.html

MjD

Mr. Dochniak:
Latex is being banned in hospitals because it can cause anaphylaxis which is life threatening.
I don’t see how that proves your assertion that latex is responsible for Autism; which is the primary reason why you were mentioned on this blog and the basic subject of your book which you have been passionately promoting here as “an essential read for”(among others) “scientists and medical professionals”.

Parallel lines…. they never meet; just like your assertion and reasoning.

Here’s the Honeycutt patent. Hope this site works.

Yes, you’ve already posted that. I’m asking you for a story. Surely, it would be more interesting for all concerned than monotonous repetition. How did you get from point A to point B?

@Tartu85:

You do realize that it’s a very common inflammatory pathway, involved heavily in Th1 responses?

Mr. Dochniak is an alumnus of the Google university’s dept. of Immunology and Epidemiology. You expect too much from him.

This might be the ONLY subject that we haven’t seen Th1(Th2) responses.

@lilady:
I’m really glad that you are back…

OK, I think I am starting to get this.

Latex causes allergies. One of the scientists I work with has a latex allergy. He is also a complete idiot of non-medically diagnosable variety (unpublished data). According to MJD’s logic, I can conclude that latex causes idiocy. But wait, scientist in question developed latex allergy after it has been conclusively demonstrated that he is a complete idiot (unpublished data), therefore idiocy causes latex allergies.

TarTu 85

The NFkB post made me LOL, and I had to post. Of all the different pathways why choose NFkB? It’s just too silly. You do realize that it’s a very common inflammatory pathway, involved heavily in Th1 responses?

I must remember to pass on your insights …

2011 Research

Aberrant NF-KappaB Expression in Autism Spectrum Condition: A Mechanism for Neuroinflammation 2011

Adam M. H. Young,1,2 Elaine Campbell,1 Sarah Lynch,1 John Suckling,3* and Simon J. Powis1

1Bute Medical School, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK

2Autism Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

3Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

This article describes immunodetection and immunofluorescence measurements of NF-κB in human post-mortem samples of orbitofrontal cortex tissue donated to two independent centers: London Brain Bank, Kings College London, UK (ASC: n = 3, controls: n = 4) and Autism Tissue Program, Harvard Brain Bank, USA (ASC: n = 6, controls: n = 5). The hypothesis was that concentrations of NF-κB would be elevated, especially in activated microglia in ASC, and pH would be concomitantly reduced (i.e., acidification).

Conclusion

NF-κB is aberrantly expressed in the orbitofrontal cortex as indicated by measurements on post-mortem tissue from ASC patients, and particularly in highly activated microglia. This region is a locus of abnormal function in ASC that underlies the abnormal development of social and cognitive skills (Sabbagh, 2004).

This is the first discovery of its kind that identifies a potential mechanism for neuroinflammation in ASC through increased expression of this pro-inflammatory molecule and the significant involvement of resident immune cells. The connection of this result to changes in intracellular acidity indicates an investigation of pH across the entire brain parenchyma in living patients.

Whilst evidence of causal link remains to be established, the idea that the induction of inflammation via the NF-κB signaling cascade is observed in regions of the neocortex associated with behavioral and clinical symptoms of ASC gives credence and impetus to interventions focusing on this potential therapeutic target.

—————————————————-

Expression Profiling of Autism Candidate Genes during Human Brain Development Implicates Central Immune Signaling Pathways

By implementing a biologically relevant approach, we identified a subset of highly expressed ASD-candidate genes from which interactome networks were derived. Strikingly, immune signaling through NFκB, Tnf, and Jnk was central to ASD networks at multiple levels of our analysis, and cell-type specific expression suggested glia—in addition to neurons—deserve consideration. This work provides integrated genomic evidence that ASD-implicated genes may converge on central cytokine signaling pathways.

Table 1. GO enrichment analysis of the 11 genes shared by Autism, Schizophrenia, and Epilepsy.

GO: 0032103 Positive regulation of response to external stimulus – Anxiety
(Any process that activates, maintains or increases the rate of a response to an external stimulus).

GO: 0031622 Positive regulation of fever – (Any process that activates or increases the frequency, rate, or extent of fever generation.)

GO : 0031620 Regulation of fever generation

GO: 0031650 Regulation of heat generation

GO: 0031652 Positive Regulation of heat generation

Shown at Table 3 Gene ontology enrichment of the 32 highly expressed Autism genes revealed four new GO categories representing two significant processes—immune system regulation and apoptosis

GO: 0002682 Regulation of Immune System Process

GO: 0006915 Apoptosis (cell death)

GO: 0012501 Programmed cell death

GO: 0031347 Regulation of defense response – (Any process that modulates the frequency, rate or extent of a defense response.)

In the first central network (Figure 4), NFκB, Jnk, and Mapk are hubs. Network 2 from the highly enriched set also contains NFκB as a hub, in addition to Tnf, TgfB1 and Myc (Figure 5). Taken together, these enriched networks, which are the most inter-connected of all ASD-derived networks, have at their core fundamental cytokine signaling molecules not previously implicated as ASD susceptibility loci. These may serve as potential final common pathways through which the heterogeneous ASD-implicated genes ultimately converge. Moreover, this represents a third, independent level of analysis whereby the highly expressed ASD genes implicate immune signaling pathways that are not apparent when the full set of ASD-associated genes is considered.

———————————————–

NF-κB and Autism
A Study of Nuclear Transcription Factor-Kappa B in Childhood Autism
We have noted significant increase in NF-κB DNA binding activity in peripheral blood samples of children with autism. When the fold increase of NF-κB in cases (n = 67) was compared with that of controls (n = 29), there was a significant difference (3.14 vs. 1.40, respectively; p<0.02).

Conclusion
This finding has immense value in understanding many of the known biochemical changes reported in autism. As NF-κB is a response to stressors of several kinds and a master switch for many genes, autism may then arise at least in part from an NF-κB pathway gone awry.

————————————-

Your post made me FOTFFAPM … but hey.

Blackheart,

At least you managed to identify the authors of one of the papers you cite this time, that’s progress, well done. Next time a PMID would be useful.

Immune system dysfunction and inflammation may play a role in some cases of autism, no one is disputing that. As one of the studies you refer to concludes, “Viral and bacterial infections, hypoxia, or medication could affect both foetus and infant”. We already know that viral infections, such as maternal rubella, and medications, such as valproate, can affect the fetus. The involvement of NF-κB points towards a possible mechanism. I don’t see that it supports the hypothesis that latex, or any other constituent of vaccines, causes autism.

As others have pointed out, there is good epidemiological evidence that the the only connection between vaccines and autism is a negative one, in that they prevent infections that could otherwise cause autism in susceptible fetuses or infants.

T-reg writes (#), “Latex is being banned in hospitals because it can cause anaphylaxis which is life threatening.

MjD’s response:

Are you sure it isn’t also banned in hospitals for all of the pain and suffering it’s caused, other than death from anaphylactic shock?

The CDC states, “Health care workers face a wide range of hazards on the job, including needlestick injuries, back injuries, LATEX ALLERGY, violence, and stress.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthcare/

Latex is still in some vaccines, that’s criminal.

Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

Mr. Dochniak, I see that you have taken to avoiding the part which is difficult for you to answer. So I shall present it again to you without distracting you with other points –

I don’t see how that proves your assertion that latex is responsible for Autism; which is the primary reason why you were mentioned on this blog and the basic subject of your book which you have been passionately promoting here as “an essential read for”(among others) “scientists and medical professionals”.

You know, he spent 2 days droning on latex can cause allergies and allergies cause autism, therefor latex causes autism, that iit was only a matter of time before anything related to the an immunologic response was bound to cause allergies. In fact, given the fact that the whole point of vaccination is to provoke some form of immuno-response I am surprised he doesn’t just say that causes autism.

With all that latex causing all that autism, should we even worry about Aluminum MJD? Latex doesn’t occur naturally, Aluminum does. Perhaps you will have an easier time waging an imaginary war on the Big Latex.

@Prometheus

Thanks for the explanation

Tartu85:

“But why is anti-latex IgE special, why not ragweed IgE or KLH IgE?”

We’ve asked that question repeatedly – apparently, Mr. Dochniak believes that latex proteins are either [a] significantly more immunogenic than other proteins or [b] a more complex mixture of antigens than other natural or synthetic products or [c] both [a] AND [b].

We know that he doesn’t feel injection is a critical feature of “latex-allergy-induced-autism” because he repeatedly (repetitively?) cites Shen et al (2011), in which the autistic children’s exposure to latex (multiple cases in a single family) was by exposure in the home and not by injection, let alone from vaccines.

We also know that he doesn’t consider the developmental state important for the “damaging effects of latex”, as he has cited Foster’s 1999 Medical Hypotheses article, “Schizophrenia: The Latex Allergy Hypothesis”, in support of his argument, so apparently the developmental state of the subject only determines whether they get autism or schizophrenia from latex exposure.

As for why he thinks that IgE to latex is more “autismogenic” than IgE to other antigens, I suspect that his poor grasp of immunology (he states in his latest book that IgG and IgM are part of the innate immune system) is to blame.

Frankly, I don’t have the slightest idea why Mr. Dochniak is so convinced that latex proteins are singular in their ability to cause autism, and I don’t think he does, either.

Prometheus

@Tartu85:

Prometheus is right; MjD has no comprehension of why he’s focused on latex. In the previous thread on this topic, this was the best explanation he could offer. To my chagrin, he was unable to improve on this hilarity. It’s probably the funniest thing he has ever posted (does anyone else have a contender?), and it’s been downhill from there ever since. Now it’s just sad.

Knowing that the rubber tree is a member of the Euphorbia family, I went Googling to see if the latex from other Euphorbias can also be allergenic.
Yes indeedy, including the familiar decorative Poinsettia, which contains many of the same proteins as rubber-tree latex.
http://news.georgiahealth.edu/archives/137

The rise in autism correlates with the growing popularity of poinsettias!* Indoor potplants cause autism! Buy my book!

* Statement not intended to be factual.

@herr doktor bimler:
[quote]Knowing that the rubber tree is a member of the Euphorbia family, I went Googling to see if the latex from other Euphorbias can also be allergenic.
Yes indeedy, including the familiar decorative Poinsettia, which contains many of the same proteins as rubber-tree latex.
http://news.georgiahealth.edu/archives/137

The rise in autism correlates with the growing popularity of poinsettias!* Indoor potplants cause autism! Buy my book!

* Statement not intended to be factual. [/quote]

Shit! Christmas causes autism!

MjD (#214):

“Article describing several Hev-b proteins and their structural homology to endogenous/exogenous proteins.”

The article:

Dochniak, MJ (2007). Autism spectrum disorders – Exogenous protein insult. Medical Hypotheses. 69:545-549

Why am I not surprised?

Read my book! The conclusions in it are supported by my unreviewed pay-to-play articles in Medical Hypotheses!

Circular reasoning? You be the judge.

Prometheus

Prometheus writes (#208), “Mr. Dochniak believes that latex proteins are either [a] significantly more immunogenic than other proteins or [b] a more complex mixture of antigens than other natural or synthetic products or [c] both [a] AND [b].”

MjD’s response:

Thank you Prometheus!

MjD

In light of the last thread Dochniak hijacked to pimp his book, I do hope that our host has a pre-determined post count before locking this one. Because I (along with everyone else, assuredly) can see where this is going.

Read my book! The conclusions in it are supported by my unreviewed pay-to-play articles in Medical Hypotheses!

The Medical Hypotheses article lives on in the Google cache for those who don’t have institutional access or $31.50 to burn. Elsevier’s copyediting standards shine on, if this is any comparison (cuts off in § 21); a quick comparison suggests that they have faithfully reproduced the… idiosyncrasies. No, wait, authorial voice. That’s it.

I don’t even have the heart to look at the articles that cite it at the moment.

@MjD:

The numerous latex-proteins are unique in their ability to cause atopy (i.e., many allergies) based on the their seconary, tertiary, and quatenary structure.

1. Atopy is a predisposition to have an IgE mediated allergic response to a wide variety of antigens.
So, if a person is atopic he/she may be allergic to (among many things) latex. Atopy, in this case, caused the latex allergy NOT the other way around!

Judging by how twisted your concept of causality is, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that you believe that it is the lights in the sky at dawn which causes the sun to rise.

2. There is nothing special about latex proteins having Primary, secondary and tertiary structures. ALL proteins have primary, secondary and tertiary structures and ALL those structures eventually determine the property of that protein and its interactions.

I’d like to point out to you, once again, Mr. Dochniak that you are making an utter fool out of yourself by arguing with the ladies and gentlemen on this thread. Most of them are well versed professionals in this field or relevant allied fields while you lack even a basic understanding of it.

You have written a book when you are barely acquainted with the alphabet (metaphorically). Your explanations here are, as expected, mere scribbles by a child who has just learnt how to use a pen. Your belief in having made a supreme discovery is the same as that of this child who having made a page-long-scribble believes that he has just made an immense contribution to literature. Unfortunately, only those who know what literature actually is will recognize the child’s mistaken belief.

Tartu85

Blackheart, you know what would be more challenging?

Finding someone to challenge me at an intellectual level ?

Finding a disease state

Autism as a disease state. Thanks. A rare admission.

(or for that matter normal state)

So you just didn’t read the neuroscience, the genetics or the blood analysis.

Or your just completely ignoring them.

Here you go again….

Aberrant NF-KappaB Expression in Autism Spectrum Condition: A Mechanism for Neuroinflammation 2011

Adam M. H. Young,1,2 Elaine Campbell,1 Sarah Lynch,1 John Suckling,3* and Simon J. Powis1

1Bute Medical School, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK

2Autism Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

3Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

This article describes immunodetection and immunofluorescence measurements of NF-κB in human post-mortem samples of orbitofrontal cortex tissue donated to two independent centers: London Brain Bank, Kings College London, UK (ASC: n = 3, controls: n = 4) and Autism Tissue Program, Harvard Brain Bank, USA (ASC: n = 6, controls: n = 5). The hypothesis was that concentrations of NF-κB would be elevated, especially in activated microglia in ASC, and pH would be concomitantly reduced (i.e., acidification).

Conclusion

NF-κB is aberrantly expressed in the orbitofrontal cortex as indicated by measurements on post-mortem tissue from ASC patients, and particularly in highly activated microglia. This region is a locus of abnormal function in ASC that underlies the abnormal development of social and cognitive skills (Sabbagh, 2004).

This is the first discovery of its kind that identifies a potential mechanism for neuroinflammation in ASC through increased expression of this pro-inflammatory molecule and the significant involvement of resident immune cells. The connection of this result to changes in intracellular acidity indicates an investigation of pH across the entire brain parenchyma in living patients.

Whilst evidence of causal link remains to be established, the idea that the induction of inflammation via the NF-κB signaling cascade is observed in regions of the neocortex associated with behavioral and clinical symptoms of ASC gives credence and impetus to interventions focusing on this potential therapeutic target.

—————————————————-

Expression Profiling of Autism Candidate Genes during Human Brain Development Implicates Central Immune Signaling Pathways

By implementing a biologically relevant approach, we identified a subset of highly expressed ASD-candidate genes from which interactome networks were derived. Strikingly, immune signaling through NFκB, Tnf, and Jnk was central to ASD networks at multiple levels of our analysis, and cell-type specific expression suggested glia—in addition to neurons—deserve consideration. This work provides integrated genomic evidence that ASD-implicated genes may converge on central cytokine signaling pathways.

Table 1. GO enrichment analysis of the 11 genes shared by Autism, Schizophrenia, and Epilepsy.

GO: 0032103 Positive regulation of response to external stimulus – Anxiety
(Any process that activates, maintains or increases the rate of a response to an external stimulus).

GO: 0031622 Positive regulation of fever – (Any process that activates or increases the frequency, rate, or extent of fever generation.)

GO : 0031620 Regulation of fever generation

GO: 0031650 Regulation of heat generation

GO: 0031652 Positive Regulation of heat generation

Shown at Table 3 Gene ontology enrichment of the 32 highly expressed Autism genes revealed four new GO categories representing two significant processes—immune system regulation and apoptosis

GO: 0002682 Regulation of Immune System Process

GO: 0006915 Apoptosis (cell death)

GO: 0012501 Programmed cell death

GO: 0031347 Regulation of defense response – (Any process that modulates the frequency, rate or extent of a defense response.)

In the first central network (Figure 4), NFκB, Jnk, and Mapk are hubs. Network 2 from the highly enriched set also contains NFκB as a hub, in addition to Tnf, TgfB1 and Myc (Figure 5). Taken together, these enriched networks, which are the most inter-connected of all ASD-derived networks, have at their core fundamental cytokine signaling molecules not previously implicated as ASD susceptibility loci. These may serve as potential final common pathways through which the heterogeneous ASD-implicated genes ultimately converge. Moreover, this represents a third, independent level of analysis whereby the highly expressed ASD genes implicate immune signaling pathways that are not apparent when the full set of ASD-associated genes is considered.

———————————————–

NF-κB and Autism
A Study of Nuclear Transcription Factor-Kappa B in Childhood Autism
We have noted significant increase in NF-κB DNA binding activity in peripheral blood samples of children with autism. When the fold increase of NF-κB in cases (n = 67) was compared with that of controls (n = 29), there was a significant difference (3.14 vs. 1.40, respectively; p

Conclusion
This finding has immense value in understanding many of the known biochemical changes reported in autism. As NF-κB is a response to stressors of several kinds and a master switch for many genes, autism may then arise at least in part from an NF-κB pathway gone awry.

Prometheus

in support of his argument, so apparently the developmental state of the subject only determines whether they get autism or schizophrenia from latex exposure.

I’d imagine those of us with a more fluid intelligence able to see many intersections of gene expressions and schizophrenia and autism.

GO enrichment analysis of the 11 genes shared by Autism, Schizophrenia, and Epilepsy.

GO: 0032103 Positive regulation of response to external stimulus – Anxiety
(Any process that activates, maintains or increases the rate of a response to an external stimulus).

GO: 0031622 Positive regulation of fever – (Any process that activates or increases the frequency, rate, or extent of fever generation.)

GO : 0031620 Regulation of fever generation

GO: 0031650 Regulation of heat generation

GO: 0031652 Positive Regulation of heat generation

Autism shares 69 genes with schizophrenia / 43 epilepsy and 11 between all three.

@Lilady: ha ha… I’m glad my comment (even though unintentional) made you reminisce such fond moments.

Lilady writes (#223), “I’m reminded of my toddler, so delighted that she could read and show off her talents to mommy. We would “read” some of her favorite “Little Golden Books” each evening and she was able to link the pictures with some of the words and “fill in the blanks”. We never “challenged” her reading ability so as not to dampen her enthusiasm for reading. There were plenty of her crayon artwork that I also displayed as refrigerator art, as well.

MjD’s response:

We love our children and want the best in life for them.

We also want them protected from the harmful effects of disease.

Vaccines are a medical marvel in the prevention of childhood diseases.

Forced immunity through vaccination is in its infancy, we must continue to challenge medical science and never become fixated on its many successes while accepting its few failures.

Vaccine continuous-improvement is imperative.

Demand latex-free vaccines!

MjD

Answer the questions I posed to you in May…about your son’s visit to the E.R. and why you lied about the circumstances. Fool.

Is it just me, or is MjD starting to sound like a broken record?

lilady writes (#228), “Answer the questions I posed to you in May…about your son’s visit to the E.R. and why you lied about the circumstances. Fool.

MjD’s response:

Chapter 4 (Adaptive Immunity), Allergies and Autism, Nova Science:

Dain‘s pediatrician removed the natural-latex protective gloves from his hands after completing the examination. A wisp of powder floated into the air as the gloves were peeled off his hands and discarded into a waste basket next to the examination table. The pediatrician‘s eyes extensively scanned and sorted through several years of routine examinations. The silence that filled the room was interrupted by Dain‘s self calming hum as he strenuously rocked back and forth on the examination table. It was clear that Dain had dramatically regressed over the last several months. A forty word vocabulary was completely gone and social interactions were now replaced with repetitive self-stimulation. Dain‘s well defined muscles, on both arms and legs, gave an indication of the repetitive jumping and flapping behaviors which seemed to increase daily.

Latex is dangerous, refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

My efforts have been directed at validating the null hypothesis which says the hevea-allergens in natural-latex do not cause allergy-induced regressive autism.

And what data have you gathered to that end? And if you are still in the process of something, then how do you justify making such definitive statements?*

*rhetorical questions that will undoubtedly be answered with, “buy my book” and “refuse latex-contaminated vaccines”. Because we all know what the answers really are.

Actually, Einstein’s Nobel was “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.”

As I understand it, this was a compromise with some specific members of the academy who disliked relativity. Yes, the photoelectric effect would have been worth a Nobel if Einstein had never published anything else, but he did, and the people giving the award were well aware of that. By the time the prize was awarded, general relativity had explained the orbit of Mercury, and the predictions about gravity bending light had been confirmed by measurements during a solar eclipse.

If Einstein’s Nobel had been just for the photoelectric effect, with nobody thinking about relativity, it would likely have been awarded sooner. Say, in 1916, when no prize was given.

My efforts have been directed at validating the null hypothesis which says the hevea-allergens in natural-latex do not cause allergy-induced regressive autism.
MjD

No, you have not done this. This is a lie. The one thing you have demonstrated is that Michael Donchiack is a liar.

Words like “wrong” or “right” are encompassing and absolute.

As opposed to the careful nuance of intoning “refuse vaccines that have a latex warning” over and over again?

MjD, do you really think being evasive and dishonest will help your case?

Dochniak: You don’t need to be reminded about Chapter 1 of your book, do you? Here you lay claim to the onset of your son’s regressive autism related to an anaphylactic reaction to a balloon he came in contact with, at his 2nd birthday party:

Chapter 1

A time of anticipated celebration, a time of joy as brightly colored party balloons, wrapped gifts, paper plates, and inscribed napkins decorated picnic tables for family and friends gathered to share vanilla-frosted cake at Dain’s 2nd birthday. Dain playfully mouthed an inflated natural-latex balloon while others cheerfully watched and sang happy birthday. Within the balloon was an invasive danger that would soon severely threaten and change his life forever. Shortly after playing with the balloon, Dain’s health steadily regressed as his adaptive immune system recognized and attacked the natural-latex proteins that had transferred, through inhalation and dermal absorption, from the balloon and into his body. As the allergic response progressed and intensified his health worsened, frightened parents comforted their child as each labored breath failed to change the dark-purple color in his lips from oxygen starved blood. Rushed to the hospital emergency room, a nurse quickly injected adrenaline into his tiny shoulder. A mask supplied a steady stream of oxygen and intravenous tubes dripped essential fluids into his arm, rapidly turning his lips a safe pink color again allowing this atopic child to overcome a severe allergic reaction and live another day. Before leaving the hospital, a Doctor discussed his allergy situation. It was recommended that a nebulizer be used at home to relieve any recurrent asthmatic symptoms. The treatments helped his breathing but failed to address its underlying cause and progression – his adaptive immune system was hyper-active and out of control. Within a year, Dain would experience many more allergic manifestations and be diagnosed with Regressive Autism; thereafter helplessly locked forever in a world of behavioral atypicality.

In the book titled, ‘Vaccine Delivery and Autism – The Latex Connection’ Michael believes that vaccines contributed to his son’s allergy-induced regressive autism. According to Autism Speaks, a non-profit public awareness organization, it’s estimated that one in every 110 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism and tens of millions are affected worldwide, making it more prevalent than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. What actually causes autism is a complex and puzzling question, but atypical immunity is known to play a dominant role. Vaccine Delivery and Autism (The Latex Connection) focuses on the allergenic proteins found in Hevea brasiliensis, a dry natural rubber (HDNR) found in some vaccine packaging and delivery systems. Along with scientific reasoning, empirical studies are used to illustrate that exposure to the allergenic proteins from HDNR can affect the incidence of atopy and allergy-induced regressive autism. However, it’s expressed that the story is a hopeful one because the allergy-induced regressive autism rate does not have to be the inevitable result of immunization. HDNR exclusionary practice will dramatically reduce cases of allergy-induced regressive autism in future generations. The book is an essential read for parents, teachers, scientists, and medical professionals. Although they are likely to feel frustrated, be moved to anger, or experience a sense of betrayal, acute awareness of this important issue can only lead to a resolution. The message is loud and clear: the use of HDNR in vaccine packaging and delivery violates the first rule of medicine–do no harm.

Riddle:

Who will refuse to pay the vaccine-injury bill when the gates of truth are opened?

I questioned you about the doctor’s advice upon discharge from the E.R. … in particular the nebulizer, instead of an epipen to abort another “anaphylactic” allergic reaction to latex.

Do you not know the difference between an asthma attack and anaphylaxis? Apparently you don’t, because you use the words “asthma” and “anaphylaxis” interchangeably in your short description of your son’s E.R. visit.

The treating E.R. doctor, on the other hand, was very specific about the use of a nebulizer at home, to avoid other episodes of ASTHMA.

I also suggested that perhaps the excitement of the celebration, something your son ate at his party or any number of allergens, could have “triggered” his ASTHMA attack.

You never replied to my questions about the number of injected vaccines from vials with latex ports, in syringes with latex plungers, he had received, prior to his 2nd birthday. My estimation is 3 DPT vaccines, 4 HIB vaccines, 3 Hepatitis B vaccines and 1 MMR vaccine. Why didn’t he have an anaphylactic reaction after each of these vaccines were administered? Why didn’t he have an anaphylactic attack in the E.R. when “a nurse quickly injected adrenaline into his tiny shoulder.”?

Why should we believe any of your statements about your son’s latex induced regressive autism, when you so obviously avoid answering these questions, lie about your son’s ASTHMA attack and cannot offer any cogent explanations for your bogus theory?

Liar.

This is non-evasive and honest.

Really? It doesn’t even answer the question being asked — which is whether or not you have actually tested these two hypotheses as you allege. Yes, it is evasive, and no, it is not honest, as it is becoming increasingly obvious that you have done no testing of any kind.

As a simple demonstration that Dochniak is a liar and con-man, consider the top three results of a google search on “autism” and “Dochniak”.

His book.

His book that contains no research. His book that makes egregious, howlingly stupid errors in basic biology and physiology. His book that was written BEFORE this thread began. His book that contains no attempt to deal with the null hypothesis.

Dochniak is a liar and a fraud, pure and simple.

While I appreciate the amount of time and effort being brought to the table by everyone EXCEPT Dochniak, it is time wasted: he is sufficiently ignorant of biology that he cannot be educated, and he is merely using this thread to drive up his book sales.

His non-existent book sales, by the way. Apparently no one is interested in buying his nonsense.

Constant Mews writes (#253), “You remain a liar of the first order. You remain fundamentally ignorant of biology. You are a con-man and a fraud. These are matters of fact, not opinion.”

MjD’s response:

Could you be alittle more specific?

When Orac wrote in the introduction “To all my regulars who took part in refuting Mr. Dochniak, I salute you”.

I’m not sure your post (#253) is what he means by refuting. Although I could be wrong on that point.

MjD

Non-existent book sales? I don’t think that’s true. SOMEONE bought it.

“Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,968,491 in Books”

The author bio is absolutely hilarious though.

CM: what takes the cake for me though:

You spend a few hours whipping up something to put next to the creepiest lounge-lizard magician picture you can find, talking about your high school hockey, losing track of time, losing track of your objective, when you remember that you’re here to sell your delusional books, dangit, so let’s put a firm statement up top that tells the world you’re the authority on this stuff, dangit!

And then you make a spelling error.

Michael J. Dochniak: liar, fraud, honorary captain of the Failboat.

Four days. This has been open for only four days. And we got 261 (well, now 262) comments. Yes, half of them are from the crank in question, but still…

This thread reminds of the advice of noted medical expert LM Bujold; “Never give aversion therapy to a masochist. The results are unpredictable.”

— Steve

PS: Wish I knew why I keep coming back. Well, without the enticement of popcorn anyway.

@ Stu: You cinched it for me (Creepy Lounge Lizard)= Mandrake the Magician Comic Book Character.

Dochniak, Why do have so much time to post here? Why don’t you get a J-O-B?

Why don’t you help take care of your disabled child?

Why do you persist in this totally bogus theory and lie about your child’s disability.

Pathetic excuse for a human being…and a pathological liar, as well.

Dochniak (#239):

“My efforts have been directed at validating the null hypothesis which says the hevea-allergens in natural-latex do not cause allergy-induced regressive autism.”

After being educated – on this ‘blog – about what a “null hypothesis” is, Mr. Dochniak now claims that he is trying to validate it. And what, exactly, is he doing to “validate the null hypothesis”?

At the heart of the problem is Mr. Dochniak’s (mis)understanding of the word “research”.

Simply reading (and, generally, misunderstanding) the literature is not “research”. Generating new data through experimentation – even if it is simply “data mining” already collected data in order to find new relationships and patterns – is research.

Mr. Dochniak’s claim to be “…a leading researcher in allergy-induced regressive autism.” is utterly false because he has never done any research in that (non-existent) field. In fact, he has never done any research on autism, latex allergies or autism-related immune dysfunction…ever!

Now, back to Mr. Dochniak’s “null hypothesis” nonsense. He claims to be working to “validate the null hypothesis”, which doesn’t make much sense.

As he has finally figured out, the null hypothesis in this case is the hypothesis that latex exposure from latex-stoppered vaccines does not cause autism. From Mr. Dochniak’s rambling responses, it appears that he thinks eliminating latex stoppers from vaccines could somehow “validate the null hypothesis”.

Well, if latex stoppers were eliminated from vaccines and the autism prevalence was unchanged or increased, that would be pretty solid evidence that the “null hypothesis” (i.e. that latex stoppers in vaccines do not cause autism) was correct. However, that’s not the way the “null hypothesis” is used.

As was explained by another reader (on the previous thread), the real utility of the “null hypothesis” is a means of “screening” data. If you find data – something you discover yourself or something found by another (real) researcher – the first question has to be “Is this more consistent with the hypothesis than it is with the null hypothesis?”

For example, if Mr. Dochniak were to read a study where some (real) researchers found that latex proteins were more allergenic than other plant sap proteins, that – on first glance – might seem to support his hypothesis. However, it also supports the null hypothesis equally well, since it says nothing about autism.

On the other hand, if a study showed that latex allergies were more common among autistic children than the general population, that would support Mr. Dochniak’s hypothesis much better than it supports the null hypothesis.

Clearly, the null hypothesis is yet another scientific concept that Mr. Dochniak doesn’t understand – but now it’s something the rest of you do understand.

Prometheus

Dochniak…your credibility is “0” here. You failed in all respects related to your “theory”, your “research” and even your truthfulness about your child’s disability.

Get a J.O.B., “man up” and take care of your disabled child.

Utterly useless human being, pathetic excuse for a parent and a pathological liar.

lilady writes (#250), “You never replied to my questions about the number of injected vaccines from vials with latex ports, in syringes with latex plungers, he had received, prior to his 2nd birthday. My estimation is 3 DPT vaccines, 4 HIB vaccines, 3 Hepatitis B vaccines and 1 MMR vaccine. Why didn’t he have an anaphylactic reaction after each of these vaccines were administered? Why didn’t he have an anaphylactic attack in the E.R. when “a nurse quickly injected adrenaline into his tiny shoulder.”?

MjD’s response:

It’s criminal that latex is still in some vaccines. The outcome is unpredictable.

Thanks for your concern.

MjD

It amazes me that Mikey the spammer actually quotes someone else’s quite reasonable questions to him, and follows it with “MjD’s response” where the response completely ignores the questions that he went to the trouble of quoting. It’s like the cowardly Brave Sir Robin from the Monty Python movie not just running away from danger, but having home movies taken of his cowardly retreat, and showing them to everyone wherever he goes.

http://www-ai.ijs.si/eliza/eliza.html

Obviously not a bad message

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9⊂=30#_ftnref10

# 10 deaths each year are due to severe reactions to latex allergy. [10]

“Anaphylaxis in the United States,” Archives of Internal Medicine, 2001

Exposure to latex allergen alone is responsible for over 200 cases of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) each year. [6]

Approximately 4% of allergy sufferers have latex allergy as their primary allergy. An estimated 10% of healthcare works suffer from latex allergy.

———————————–

UK Guidleines for Anaphylaxis Treatment and Response are found here …as comprehensive as any I’ve found.

http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/reaction.pdf

A diagnosis of anaphylactic reaction is likely if a patient who is exposed to a trigger (allergen) develops a sudden illness (usually within minutes of exposure) with rapidly progressing skin changes and life-threatening airway and/or breathing and/or circulation problems. The reaction is usually unexpected.

The lack of any consistent clinical manifestation and a range of possible presentations cause diagnostic difficulty. Many patients with a genuine anaphylactic
reaction are not given the correct treatment.

——————————

Could save a life.

For those who missed it the first twenty-five times, please note that we have been reliably informed yet again that latex allergy exists and can be life-threatening. Which does not show either that the minute quantities of latex that might possibly be in a vaccine could cause or ever have caused such a result, nor that latex allergies (or any other allergies) have any causative connection to autism.

I got my flu shot the other day. Because I have a mild contact sensitivity to latex, I was offered an alternative vaccine that contains no trace of latex…from a multi-dose vial that contains that evil mercury product! No hope for not becoming autistic this round, I guess.

By the way, did you know lack of rock music causes asthma? It’s true.

People with asthma have better high frequency hearing than people without. And people exposed to loud noises, like rock music, have worse high frequency hearing than people not exposed. Clearly, then, lack of rock music causes better high frequency hearing which causes asthma.

Refuse quiet environments for your children! The outcome is unpredictable.

2+2= 5 multiplied by four then divided by five.
When an answer to a problem is presented, there are some who are frightened and stubbornly object.
Refuse childhood vaccines that have a latex warning and reduce the incidence of allergy-induced regressive autism in future generations.

Dochniak, you are a pathological liar, a fraud, and a con-man. Fortunately, that it what the web is establishing as your searchable reputation. By continuing to post here, you increase the chances that people will know that you are a liar, a fraud, and a con-man. It will decrease your book sales.

Remember: Michael Dochniak is a liar, a fraud, and a con-man.

“It will decrease your book sales.”

Has Dochniak actually sold any copies of his book?

2+2= 5 multiplied by four then divided by five.

Okay, did he just try to weasel his way out of elementary arithmetic? Is he aware that “5 multiplied by four then divided by five” is not the same thing as five? What was he trying to accomplish?

On this day of thanksgiving, I’d like to recognize the FDA for requiring latex-warnings on childhood vaccines.

MjD

On this day of Thanksgiving, I’d like to thank MJD for not bothering us anymore.

Oh, I don’t know about that. A turkey is always welcome on Thanksgiving.

An extensive literature search revealed three case-reports of allergic reaction in latex-sensitive patients after receiving medications (one vaccine) from latex-stoppered vials. The most recent was 1999. There is no argument that people with latex allergies might react to the infinitesimal amount of latex in a medication vial with a latex closure.

What is still in dispute is whether latex – in any form, by any route – can cause, trigger or precipitate autism. So far, the only person advancing this claim has steadfastly resisted all requests for supporting data.

On this holiday, let us all be thankful that we are not so rigidly dogmatic that we cannot distinguish between what we want to be true and what the data support.

Prometheus

Promethesus writes (#294), “There is no argument that people with latex allergies might react to the infinitesimal amount of latex in a medication vial with a latex closure.”

MjD’s response:

The safety of even an “infinitesimal amount of latex” in a child’s vaccine is still in dispute.

It is well known that vaccinations shift immunity towards Th2. The presence of hevea-allergen contaminants from latex, which can bind to vaccine adjuvants(e.g., aluminum hydroxide), make such vaccines a first contact situation increasing the possibility of acquiring latex sensitivity.

MjD

Dochniak said:

The safety of even an “infinitesimal amount of latex” in a child’s vaccine is still in dispute.
It is well known that vaccinations shift immunity towards Th2. The presence of hevea-allergen contaminants from latex, which can bind to vaccine adjuvants(e.g., aluminum hydroxide), make such vaccines a first contact situation increasing the possibility of acquiring latex sensitivity.

Which simply continues to confirm that Dochniak is a liar, fraud, and con-man; too pig-ignorant of basic biology to have an informed opinion; author of books that no one reads.

Dochniak, you’re a liar and a fraud. You are probably mentally ill. Do get some help.

Stop spamming, Mikey. Get psychological help.

Antaeus Feldspar writes (#300), “Stop spamming, Mikey. Get psychological help.”

MjD’s response:

Enough with the psychological help everyone, your driving me crazy. Please…….

Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.
Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.
Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

MjD, you’ve posted that study dozens of times. What happened each time you did so?

Stop spamming, Mikey. Get professional help.

MjD (again):

“Prometheus, I’m surprised that you continue to ignored this data [Shen et al, 2011].”

Mr. Dochniak, I’m surprised that you don’t recall that I’ve addressed the Shen et al (2011) study no less than three times. Do you have some sort of memory problem? I’ll go through it one last time, so pay attention and take notes.

Shen et al studies a single Chinese family with three autistic children (2 male, 1 female) and three “neurotypical” children (all female). The authors took B-lymphocytes from each child and immortalised them with EBV to establish cell cultures. They then extracted the proteins from the cells and analysed them using a 500 spot antibody microarray chipset from Clontech.

They then compared two sets of siblings – a 3 yr-old autistic female with a 2 yr-old non-autistic female and a 4 yr-old autistic male with a 5 yr-old non-autistic female. They give no explanation why the 1 yr-old non-autistic female and the 6 yr-old autistic male were not part of any comparison, or why they didn’t do cross-comparisons, but suffice it to say that these omissions do not help the validity of their conclusions.

From these pairwise comparisons, they found several dozen proteins that were present in different amounts (39 in the first pair; 92 in the second pair); however, only four were common between the two pairs. That is, although comparing one autistic sibling to one non-autistic sibling generated a set of over thirty proteins that had different concentrations, the two sets only had four proteins in common. And remember, there were two siblings whose results were never compared (or were compared but were not reported).

They also measured the total IgE levels – in the lysate of the cultured B-lymphocytes – but apparently not in the children’s blood. And they don’t mention if this IgE had any unusual affinity for latex proteins – a significant oversight, given their later claims.

So far, so bad. The authors of Shen et al have committed the usual errors of “newby” microarray users. But then they step off the precipice and claim – based solely on the fact that the parents own a natural rubber production company, that latex exposure caused the observed differences and – even more surprisingly – resulted in autism.

This is a “bridge too far” by any measure. Even arguing that autism is the cause of the observed protein concentration differences is quite a stretch, since they only showed two pairwise comparisons. To even make the claim that there is a difference (let alone causation) would require showing that the differences between the non-autistic and autistic siblings (all of them) was greater than the difference within the two groups – which they most certainly did not show.

To then leap to the remarkable claim that latex exposure might be the cause of autism, based on this flimsy data, is beyond “a bridge too far” – it is as if the Allies, instead of trying to capture the Arnhem bridge in Holland, had planned to capture the Moltke bridge in Berlin.

It is more likely that the results the authors report, if they are not spurious, show that autism causes immune system abnormalities, not that it is caused by them. Far more likely, given the things the authors do not report, is that their findings are spurious. Given the problems in the experimental design and the extremely small number of subjects, it would be charitable to call their results, “provisional”. This is probably why they refer to their study – in the title of the article – as a “pilot study”.

Despite all this – and despite having been told all this before – Mr. Dochinak continues to make this study the linch-pin of his argument. I suspect it is because Shen et al flattered Mr. Dochniak by citing his fact-free 2007 Medical Hypotheses “study”.

So, Mr. Dochniak, I haven’t “ignored” the data – I’ve discussed it and shown you why it isn’t relevant to your claims. No doubt your response will be:

“Refuse latex-containing vaccines!”

“Read my book!”

“Prometheus is a poopy-head!”

Standing by for predictable non sequitur from MjD.

Prometheus

P.S.: I’ve finally given up and ordered Mr. Dochniak’s book. I will not only be reading it, I will be posting a detailed discussion of the book on my ‘blog. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Dochniak.

Dear Prometheus,

In message #294 you state, “What is still in dispute is whether latex – in any form, by any route – can cause, trigger or precipitate autism. So far, the only person advancing this claim has steadfastly resisted all requests for supporting data.”

It appears your the one who has forgotten that Shen et al., (2011) are scientists also acquiring data on the latex/autism connection. See Prometheus’ rant in message #308.

I’m not the only one Prometheus XVI.

MjD

Anyone else think of this?

It appears your the one who has forgotten that Shen et al., (2011) are scientists also acquiring data on the latex/autism connection.

No, it appears that Shen et al. are scientists who forgot to acquire data on the (imagined) latex/autism connection.

That may be the worst poem I’ve ever read. Wow.

Prometheus writes (#), “I’ve finally given up and ordered Mr. Dochniak’s book. I will not only be reading it, I will be posting a detailed discussion of the book on my ‘blog. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Dochniak.”

MjD’s response:

Hevea brasiliensis natural-rubber (i.e., natural latex) is a monumental medical-disaster.

Soon, we’ll read in the blog “Photon in the Darkness” if Prometheus has the courage to confront it.

MjD

Prometheus writes (#319), “Mr. Dochniak keeps trying to make this about personalities and “feelings”, which it is not. I don’t care if Mr. Dochniak is a loathsome human being or a saint – if he doesn’t have data to support his arguments, they are just his opinion and worth no more attention than his preferences in food or drink.”

MjD’s response:

Enough said, read the book.

MjD

MjD (#321):

“lilady, can you politely tell me what this individual is trying to say?”

Well, I’m not “lilady”, but I’ll take a stab at it.

Dr. Gernsbacher, in this article in APS, is saying that people who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology should have learned all of the things she outlines, including how to not confuse correlation with causation, the impact of a small sample size and sampling biases on validity, etc.

Clearly, as we have seen on this ‘blog, not every psychology major learned these things, even though they may have been taught them.

Prometheus

Mr. MjD – are you providing an example to Prometheus to demonstrate you understand “confuse correlation with causation” or to demonstrate you understand what “small sample size” means in “the impact of a small sample size and sampling biases”?

Wait! I’m sorry – you were demonstrating “sampling biases” for him to be sure you understand the point. My bad.

I expected to see you again – you are doing your level best to live up to “thread that never ends.” Hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday? My autistic grandson spent the entire weekend with us – I forgot how much he can wear me out!

Oh – by the way – to the best of my knowledge he has no latex issues…

Mrs Woo

A nurse acquaintence of mine here in Minnesota has 4 children wherein 3 are autistic (2 girls, 1 boy). As a nurse she was often exposed to the hevea-allergens and the children were most likely immunized with vaccines inclusive with latex.

Hey, I’ve got a correlation for you—they all had the same mother! (And more than likely, father.) Since autism is genetic or congenital* in most cases, I don’t think we need to look any farther.

*A point some people miss is that the trait of providing an intrauterine environment conducive to autism can also be genetic, and come from either parent.

As a thought experiment, consider how Mr. Dochniak’s anecdote would be equally supportive of the hypothesis that autism is the result of genetics.

When my comment saying the same thing comes out of moderation, I really wasn’t just trying to echo you….

Mr MjD, I am just some uneducated person who is easily taken advantage of by manipulative critters of all sorts (including an incredibly intelligent chicken at the moment), but when researchers consider whether or not there might be a genetic link for my illness they look for “first degree relatives.”

My sister is showing similar symptoms. This would suggest that the type of illness I have (there have also been discussions that more than one illness is under the diagnostic umbrella). Does this explanation help you at all to understand what Prometheus has suggested regarding a genetic component?

If you are incapable of grasping these subtleties how can you insist your book contains anything that has been studied without bias?

Prometheus writes (#330), “The exposure to latex from vaccines and exam gloves (which have been nitrile for many years) is so ubiquitous that it simply doesn’t add anything to the anecdote.”

MjD’s response:

I recall that you’ve disclosed reading part of the Nova Science book “Allergies and Autism”.

In the book, the authors discuss how the timing, frequency, intensity, and types of exposure to H. brasiliensis natural latex affects the incidence of allergy-induced regressive autism.

Comorbid factors including viral insult and bacterial insult (including vaccinations) may affect adaptive-immunity responsiveness to hevea-allergen exposure.

Prometheus, I recommend you re-visit this book before diving into the book “Vaccine Delivery and Autism – The latex connection”.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Dochniak

Gray Falcon writes (#328), “That still doesn’t rule out you as a potential cause of autism. By your standards, the best way to test this is to kill you and see what happens.

MjD’s response:

I don’t want to die from the piercing of your talons. You are meant for greater things, Gray Falcon

MjD

I don’t want to die from the piercing of your talons. You are meant for greater things, Gray Falcon

Not my idea, yours. Remember, you suggested that banning latex was the best way of testing your hypothesis, rather than examining data.

No, step one is to determine whether there’s a problem or not. Perhaps this is why you don’t have a job. Your standard of quality is “cut first, then measure”.

Isn’t this kind of rigidity sometimes a symptom of autism spectrum disorders? I know that no one can diagnose someone via internet, but since he has an autistic child…

You have to wonder in the end, you know?

MJD, wouldn’t you like to free yourself from this daily drudgery? We may be able to hook you up with an automated solution! This proven technology has low startup costs and requires no long-term maintenance contract. Drop us a line.

Gray Falcon writes (#338), “Perhaps this is why you don’t have a job.”

MjD’s response:

A Gray Falcon chooses when to fly and so do I.

Refuse vaccines that have a latex warning.

MjD

MjD
Things happening in the same period don’t have to be related.

Renate writes (#346), “Things happening in the same period don’t have to be related.”

MjD’s response:

A quote from a famous American Statistician:

“Correlation is not causation but it sure is a hint.”

MjD

Gray Falcon writes (#349), “A hint isn’t enough to justify prosecution on its own.”

MjD’s response:

In my opinion, a hint is absolutely justification when exposure to the hevea-allergens can adversely affect cognition and behaviors in atopic children (i.e., allergy-induced regressive autism).

MjD

Also, even if there was good evidence for an increase in autism, and that the cause of that was an environmental insult, it doesn’t follow that said cause has anything to do with either vaccines or latex. When I think about the differences between 1981 and today, amount of latex isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yes, more people are using condoms than in 1981; we’re also spending more of the day looking at backlit screens. (Even if you’ve been turning the television on as soon as you got home for the last 30 years, the job you’re getting home from is a lot more likely to involve a screen than the one you’d have come home from then.) Mr Dochniak, have you investigated levels of hormones and medication in the drinking water supply over this time period? The environment does not consist of a fixed set of activities, with air and water pollution level unchanged in every way, except for a varying level of latex.

In my opinion, a hint is absolutely justification when exposure to the hevea-allergens can adversely affect cognition and behaviors in atopic children (i.e., allergy-induced regressive autism).

Okay, I used to think Mikey was just delusional. Now I think he’s delusional and drunk. How much more obvious can the circular logic be? You can’t use “allergies cause autism” as your justification for jumping to the conclusion that allergies cause autism! Mikey would look less stupid here if he was citing the Ouija Board as his source!

Along with scientific reasoning, empirical studies are used to illustrate that exposure to the allergenic proteins from HDNR affect the incidence of atopy and allergy-induced regressive autism.

Oh this is a keeper. Only in Dochniak’s mind can he claim the use of scientific reasoning and empirical studies for his ludicrous claim.

And Dochniak, liar, fraud, and con-man, continues his endlessly repetitive posts. Contributing nothing, merely shilling for a book that will continue to tank, since he provides no reason to suppose that his suppositions and claims are true.

Michael J Dochniak. Liar. Fraud. Con-man.

In serious need of mental help.

Prometheus – you are a brave man wading into that garbage. Given what you’ve written already, it is very likely (if not incredibly obvious) that MjD is merely copying & pasting lines from his book in response to the postings here, without actually reading the content that refutes point after point of his argument.

I look forward to seeing the next part – and MjD’s response.

Narad,

Yes, much of the “poetry” that Mr. Dochniak has posted in his comments – not to mention most of the “pithy” one-liners and almost all of “meat” of his comments – is copypasta from his book.

I’m not an expert in computer science, but it seems that “Mr. Dochniak” could be a ‘bot that looks for themes in ‘blog threads and then pastes in the corresponding bits from the Dochniak/Dunn book.

For everyone who has followed this thread since the original May post, it looks as though “Mr. Dochniak” has posted almost his entire book in his comments.

I’ll try to get the next installment of my review out as soon as possible, but first I need to get rid of this pounding headache.

Prometheus