MedTape

SWINE FLU (H1N1 Virus)

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:07:00 +0000

So what is Swine flu ?

Swine flu refers to a respiratory infection caused by Influenza A viruses that ordinarily cause illness in pigs. Like humans, pigs can get infected with an influenza virus. Humans can get infected with flu from pigs and this happens very rarely. And more uncommon feature is transmission of swine flu from human to another human.

Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current swine flu outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus(H1N1 Type A influenza virus) that has changed in ways genetically that allow it to spread from one person to another and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.

This new swine flu strain is being called by a number of names, including: swine-origin influenza A, swine influenza A (H1N1), influenza A/California/H1N1, swine origin influenza virus, North American flu and influenza A (H1N1).

Symptoms of Swine Flu

Important clinical features of swine influenza include fever, and upper respiratory symptoms such as cough and sore throat. Head ache, body ache, fatigue diarrhea and vomiting have also been observed.

There is insufficient information to date about clinical complications of this variant of swine origin influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. Clinicians should expect complications to be similar to seasonal influenza: sinusitis, otitis media, croup, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, status asthamaticus, myocarditis, pericarditis, myositis, rhabdomyolysis, encephalitis, seizures, toxic shock syndrome and secondary bacterial pneumonia with or without sepsis. Individuals at extremes of age and with preexisting medical conditions are at higher risk of complications.

Investigations

Includes haematological, biochemical, radiological and microbiological tests as necessary.

Confirmation of influenza A(H1N1) swine origin infection is through:

¯ Real time (RT) PCR or

¯ Isolation of the virus in culture or

¯ Four-fold rise in virus specific neutralizing antibodies.

Treatment

The guiding principles are:

¯ Early implementation of infection control precautions to minimize nosocomical / household spread of disease

¯ Prompt treatment to prevent severe illness & death.

¯ Early identification and follow up of persons at risk.

Oseltamivir Medication

— Oseltamivir is the recommended drug both for prophylaxis and treatment.

— Dose for treatment is as follows:

— By Weight:

- <15kg 30 mg BD for 5 days

- 15-23kg 45 mg BD for 5 days

- 24-<40kg 60 mg BD for 5 days

- >40kg 75 mg BD for 5 days

As on 30.04.09, 148 laboratory confirmed human cases of Swine influenza A (H1N1) has been reported from nine countries with 8 deaths. ( Mexico [26 cases, 7 deaths], USA [91 cases, one death], Canada (13), Austria(1), Germany (3), Israel(2), New Zealand (3), Spain(4), and United Kingdom (5). Over 1300 suspected cases have been reported with about 100 deaths. The outbreak started in Mexico on 18^th March, 2009 and spread to USA and Canada and then to other countries.

WHO has heightened the pandemic level to Phase 5 implying widespread human infection.

Technorati Tags: Swine flu,Medical Advice,H1N1 Virus

Maximise your ability to concentrate

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:10:00 +0000

The quality and quantity of work you can produce is dependent, not only on the effort you put in, but on your ability to concentrate. No matter how hard to you try, if your brain isn’t performing well, you won’t be as productive as you should be.

Although many of the factors affecting concentration are beyond your control, a large amount is determined by behavior. These 5 tips will help you get your mind functioning at peak performance so you can excel at highly creative activities like writing, brainstorming, and strategic thinking.

1. Get Your Rest.
It might seem obvious, but the biggest factor affecting concentration is rest. It’s also important not to sleep too much. Oversleeping disrupts your natural rhythm and leads to grogginess. Avoid this by having a set wake up time.

2. Make a Plan. When you sit down to work without a plan, it’s easy to get caught up in crutch activities like checking email and browsing the web. Without a purpose, your mind will be pulled in several different directions. Instead of devoting all your attention to one important task, you’ll find yourself distracted by a variety of nagging thoughts.

3. Eat Light and Healthy. Nothing slows down the mind and body like a big greasy meal. Overeating puts a huge load of digestion on the body, sapping strength from the mind. Maximize your ability to concentrate by eating light and healthy meals.

4. Exercise. The body has pent up energy that needs to be used. If you don’t exercise regularly, this energy can manifest itself in the form of a distracted mind. The best way to improve your concentration all day long is by exercising first thing in the morning.

5. Take Breaks and Mix Up Your Environment. Stagnation and fatigue are other factors that can negatively affect concentration. When you’ve been working too long in the same place, you start to get stir crazy and lose focus. The best remedy for this is taking breaks and switching up your work environment. When you find yourself losing focus, get up and take a walk. This will get your heart rate up, increase your alertness, and give your mind a chance to work on the problem internally.

Spelling bee requires medical knowledge

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:37:00 +0000

The National Spelling Bee competition is one of the most watched competitions in US.
The preparation. The suspense. The drama.
The intense dorkiness of it all. This contest is a nailbiter.

The contestants can memorise words like no others.
But their knowledge of medical terms dictate their fate in the competition.

Some words used :
"Muscle."
"Physician."
"Defendant."
"Poliomyelitis"
"Hirudiniasis"
"Coryza"
"Serrafine" - "...a small spring forceps used for approximating the edges of a wound, or for temporarily closing an artery during surgery."

Health Risks of soft drinks : CAUTION

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 11:18:00 +0000

Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.

The findings could have serious consequences for the hundreds of millions of
people worldwide who consume fizzy drinks. They will also intensify the controversy about food additives, which have been linked to hyperactivity in children.

Concerns centre on the safety of E211, known as sodium benzoate, a preservative used for decades by the £74bn global carbonated drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It is also added to pickles and sauces.

Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance.

These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.

"The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it - as happens in a number if diseased states - then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing."

A review of sodium benzoate by the World Health Organisation in 2000 concluded that it was safe, but it noted that the available science supporting its safety was "limited".

Coca-Cola and Pepsi and Diet Pepsi all contain sodium benzoate.

Childbirth in 3D

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Thu, 31 May 2007 10:33:00 +0000

3D Animation Of Childbirth - Funny bloopers R us

Belly fat in women: How to keep it off

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:58:00 +0000

As you age and your metabolism slows down, the amount of fat in your body slowly increases. Women experience an even greater fat percentage increase than men do. Then after menopause, your body fat distribution tends to shift — less in your arms, legs and hips, and more in your abdomen.

Measure it up : To measure your waist, run a tape measure around your midsection at about the level of your navel. Breathe normally, don't hold your tummy in, and don't pull the tape so tight that it presses your skin down. In a woman of healthy weight, a waist measurement of 35 inches or more indicates an unhealthy concentration of abdominal fat.

Fight back the bulge

Since visceral fat is buried deep in your abdomen, it may seem like a difficult target for spot reduction. As it turns out, visceral fat responds well to a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet. Targeted tummy exercises can help to firm the abdominal muscles and flatten the belly.

Exercise. Daily, moderate-intensity exercise is the best way to lose belly fat — when you lose weight and tone your muscles, your belly fat begins shrinking, too. In fact, you may notice that your tummy bulge is the first area to shrink when you start exercising. The amount and type of exercise you should get varies depending on your current activity level and your health goals.

Strength training. Some research has shown that exercising with weights is effective in trimming tummy fat.

Healthy diet. Changing unhealthy eating habits can help fight belly fat. Replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. Increase portions of complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables, and reduce simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta.

Tone your tummy. While you can't "spot-burn" belly fat, you can firm up your abdominal muscles and get a flatter belly. Traditional sit-ups aren't the most effective way to firm your tummy, however. Instead, use these exercises to target both deeper and lower abdominal muscles:

Deeper abdominal muscles. Target deeper abdominal muscles by doing "abdominal hollowing" or "drawing in the belly button." First, get down on all fours. Let your tummy hang down as you take a deep breath. Let your breath out, and at the end of your exhalation, gently draw your belly button inward and upward toward your spine. You should feel a slight tightening around your waist — think of it as trying to squeeze through a partially closed door. Hold for 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Work up to 10 repetitions. During each effort, your spine position shouldn't change and you should breathe freely. Eventually, you'll be able to do this exercise standing up. It's so subtle, no one should be able to tell you're doing it.
Lower abdominal muscles. Tone your lower abdomen by doing pelvic tilts and pelvic lifts. To do a pelvic tilt, lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Flatten your back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and bending your pelvis up slightly. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat five times and work up to 10 to 20 repetitions.

For pelvic lifts, lie on your back with your knees bent up toward your chest and your arms relaxed by your sides. Tighten your lower abdomen and lift your buttocks up off the floor, with your knees aimed toward the ceiling. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat five times and work up to 10 to 20 repetitions.

Hormone therapy. Although there are good reasons for some women to try hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause, fending off belly fat isn't one of them. It's true that some studies have demonstrated that postmenopausal women who take HRT are less likely to accumulate abdominal fat than are postmenopausal women who forgo HRT

This is a mayo clinic article for belly fat reduction.

Monitoring Head injuries with helmets

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:12:00 +0000

The HIT System is the first and only system that can measure head accelerations (impacts) in real-time during games and practices. The HIT System's sensor/encoder, contains impact sensors, a processor and transmitter, and transforms any helmet or headgear into a head impact monitor.

A data collector receives impact data continuously from encoders that can be hundreds of meters away, and can monitor dozens of players or soldiers simultaneously. The software analyzes those data and sends a pager warning if any impact has a potentially injurious profile.

The data collector stores all of the key signatures of the impacts: peak linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, duration, location, time stamp, etc, for future analysis.

After more than a decade of research , the HIT System was put to the test in the crucible of elite college and high school football stadiums and practice fields. Using the HIT System we can record over one-quarter of a million impacts and corresponding head injury data.

Researchers are using the analysis of these data to shed new light on the biomechanical causes of mild traumatic brain injuries. This research may lead to advancements in protective equipment or other injury reduction strategies.

Hope i can get my hands on one of that for my own analysis of concussive forces during impact fo any kind>>

Offbeat >> Music

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 19:33:00 +0000

Saturday night music.... Love this trance... This was made in 1970's, way ahead of ages.

"Magic fly" by Space

10 tips for permanent weight loss

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:01:00 +0000

1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session.

2. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking

3. Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working

4.Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.

5. Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.

6. Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.

7. See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.

8. Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants.

9. Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.

10. Reward yourself. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.

Is Medicine really a profession worth all this effort?

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:45:00 +0000

Whats happening Medico's ?

Medicine is lately becoming the least fashionable profession. You slog over 4 and half years of subject, then you are made to work day after day for another 365 days of internship. and still they say you are not fit. Then starts the tough fight for Entrance into a PG institute. You need to prepare in advance for this preparation or else you will have to do 2 more years of heavy slogging, and still you cant say you will be through. Then once you get a seat starts your real hard work as it is what makes you the Real Doctor. Then...... Still its not over. You have to start over again to survive the competition of well settled doctors and those who have finished with you. And every year more and more of them are just added to your struggle.

If its just this much, pooh.... it would have been ok. But you see your fellow Engineers settling in early 20's and they start earning quite well. There are more professions now which need less sloggingcompared to medicine but give even greater fruits from early on...... Medicine doesn't sound Cost effective or effort effective.

The sad part of the story is that Creative and talented people who lack hard work find this profession a hard one to survive. It seems to purely depend upon Memory and without slogging you wouldnt have it. Even the use of talent comes only after slogging. I dont say that other professions dont need memory but comparitively this one needs mindbloggering content. Many students are already finding this profession hard to go on and are finding alternate paths to go after their dreams.

If only i could change the past !!

How to quit smoking : Take one step at a time

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:13:00 +0000

Smoking cessation is a challenge. Here's why it matters, what to expect, and how to stick with it.

For most people, smoking cessation is difficult. In fact, quitting smoking might be one of the most challenging things you've ever done — but it's the best way to improve your health.

Considering the benefit of quitting smoking

The benefits are extraordinary. Once you quit smoking, it may be easier to breathe, your sense of taste and smell may improve. Your risk of heart disease, lung disease, stroke and cancer will drop.
You're not in it alone. Counseling and other types of support have made smoking cessation easier.
Previous attempts to quit boost your odds of success. Each time you try to quit smoking, you learn what works and what doesn't .

Getting started

Identify reasons you may want to quit, such as improving your health or setting a good example for your children.

Consult your local physician. Ask about nicotine replacement therapy or other stop-smoking medications. Nicotine patches, nicotine gum and other types of nicotine replacement therapy can help you manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

To do list:

Spread the word. Tell your family, friends and co-workers that you're planning to quit smoking. Ask anyone in your household who smokes to quit with you.
Make it inconvenient to smoke. Keep your cigarettes in the car when you're in the house or working. Smoke with the "opposite" hand. Buy only one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to brands you don't like.
Cut back. Delay your first cigarette of the day. Smoke only half the cigarette. Trade one smoking break a day for a brisk walk or other physical activity.
Change your habits. Avoid anything that tempts you to smoke. You might switch to water or soda instead of coffee or alcohol, go places where smoking isn't allowed, or hang out with people who don't smoke.
Count down to a quit date. Pick a date to quit smoking. Clearly mark it on the calendar. Give yourself a few days or weeks to prepare, but don't postpone the date too far.
Toss your smoking gear. As your quit date approaches, get rid of your lighters, ashtrays and stashed cigarettes.
Learn from your mistakes. If you've tried to quit before, think about what went wrong and what you could do differently this time.

Taking the plunge

Once you've decided to quit smoking, focus on your healthier lifestyle. It might help to:

Take it one day at a time. Don't worry about next week or next month. Focus on today. Every hour without a cigarette brings you one step closer to quitting for good.
Distract yourself when a craving strikes. When you want to smoke, call a friend, take a brisk walk or run in place. To keep your mouth busy, chew sugarless gum, cinnamon sticks, toothpicks or straws. If you can hold just a few minutes — the craving will pass.
Consider treatment options. Remember the medications you discussed with your doctor? Don't be afraid to use them. Experiment until you find which medication — or combination of medications — works best for you.
Join a support group.
Remember why you're quitting.
Celebrate your success. Made it through the day / week without a cigarette? Treat yourself to your favorite movie. Count how much you've saved by not buying cigarettes.

Keeping it up – The most important part

Once you've stopped smoking, your focus may change to preventing a relapse. Identify what's been helpful so far, and beware of potential problems. If you slip — whether you have one cigarette or you slide back into your old smoking pattern — don't give up. Consider it a learning experience on the path to your smoke-free future. Identify what may have triggered your smoking. Then consider what you learned from the experience, and what you'll do differently next time.

Good luck for quitting...

Types of medical students

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:32:00 +0000

THE OVERLY ACADEMIC
You will recognise this subspecies by the typical look that would characterise most of the intellectually inclined. They will question your knowledge and your suitability as a doctor if you do not know your medicine well. They have an air of intellectual superiority, the proud step of arrogance and the temerity to even question the significance of the p-value of the randomised clinical trial quoted by their professors. They snap at the very chairs of these professors, waiting to one day unseat and claim the places for their own.

THE HARDWORKERS
This subspecies is a common sight in its white coat and is always happily preparing needles and drip sets. They are famous prowlers and constantly cannibalise the HO species to provide them with cases. Always eager, they can be seen 24/7 waiting for the next baby to deliver or the next patient to clerk. They do not eat, sleep or drink but only require constant night calls to survive. Some of the subspecies are famously known to exhaust their patients so that no other can take a history.

THE GUNNER
Some people would think that they are part of The Painfully Enthusiastic. But they are different – they tend to be only painfully enthusiastic when posted to the discipline of their choice. They display clenched fists of determination as well as clenched buttocks of anality. They too love procedures and journal clubs. Unlike The Painfully Enthusiastic who attends and does all these mindlessly, The Gunner, however, goes for these activities to be inspired.

THE MISSING
The most elusive of them all and the rarest subspecies – not in number but because you do not even spot them. They are famously invisible, only appearing on command or on direct order by the Dean’s Office. They are usually not to be found. Even if they appear, they are either late or arrive to fall asleep. You might find them outside the hospital having recreational activities but they are known to be able to dodge the attendance lists as their signatures magically appear on the lists despite their absence. Perhaps they did visit the hospital after all.

THE WEAK
The Weak are not just haemophobic. Some just have a very huge vasovagal response. They can be spotted occasionally dropping into the arms of their male colleagues, and for some, into their female colleagues’ arms. This loss of consciousness is usually precipitated by either the first anatomy dissection or surgery, sight of blood, perception of pain, delivery, dead body or seeing a forensic pathology dissection.

THE QUESTIONABLE ADMISSION
This is a subspecies that usually the doctors recognise. It is characterised by the obvious inadequacy in medical knowledge. They are more interested in their myriad of extracurricular activities. Tutorials are impeded by this subspecies. Some have suspect values, others are genuinely slow learners, some cannot think on their feet, most are uninterested. Rare are the ones who are just embarrassed to show their intelligence. But most are definitely questionable.

THE SENSITIVE SOUL
The Mother Teresa Subspecies − “I have come to save the world from HIV/cancer and so on.” It is quite hard to differentiate them from psychotic patients as both have delusions of grandeur. Willing candidate for nongovernmental organisations and Medicine Sans Frontieres, and Chronic Third World Country Medical Aid Helper. They are quite tormented by the sight of suffering and pain, fanatically caring for the patient and even going beyond the bounds of duty. Buddha and Jesus Christ would agree with them taking on the pain in the world on themselves. Some are highly religious and their dedication to serving patients border on fanaticism. These tormented souls thrive on “Thank yous”, low pay and idealism.

THE ONE-TRACK MIND
The One-Track Mind knows only one thing and nothing else. The latter is famous for not really trying to excel overall but only excelling in the discipline of choice which is mostly related to surgery, for The One-Track Mind feels that the best way to cure people is to saw off the diseased afflicted part of the body. A significant percentage prefers to just do the bones. This subspecies also has the tendency to not bother about a patient’s other medical conditions, unless they significantly affect their marks in just-know-every-single-syndrome . In the adult world, they only care about how to ensure that diabetic patients can be shunted to medical wards so that their surgical wards are free of long-staying patients, on the pretext of “I do not know how to treat the disease.”

THE JUVENILE
This is not a student who will only crumble under pressure or faint on sight. Also congenitally has a high vasomotor tone, prone to blushing and being embarrassed. Some pee or pass motion in their pants. Has a tendency to ask silly questions and would also frustrate the examiners. Classically related to encounters of the opposite sex, specifically guys in breast/O&G clinics and
girls in urology/hernia clinics. Classical triad of blushing, silence/stammer and trepidation. Frequently insulted by consultants who tell the student to not forget the patient’s own nakedness and awkwardness before the disappearance of the triad. Also pathologically afraid of per rectal examinations or any contact with bodily secretions, blood notwithstanding.

THE SLACKER
This subspecies is famous for falling asleep in school or sometimes going missing in the day, but still getting their distinctions despite minimal studying. Others, however, do not possess the intelligence but still get by. Another similar subspecies is The Joker. He also is a slacker but his predominant energies are concentrated on entertaining.Always pulling pranks on people and getting into the occasional trouble.

THE INSPIRATIONAL
These are the ones who you know are destined to be doctors. They live and breathe medicine. Characterised by perfect manners, great conduct and superb service. Also has a healthy dose of idealism .They are an inspiration to all especially the ones who are Juvenile and Weak, for they are seemingly so confident and unafraid to approach a patient and take a history. In addition, they have other impressive extra-curricular commitments that heighten the level of respect. They do not feel fear and they ease away patient fears. They give hope and courage to patients.

THE JOCK
Famously athletic, and famously slack. They could not have entered medical school with less than stellar results. Will respond to the call of duty when any intrafaculty, interfaculty or staff versus student games are being held. Quite the sportsman, always participating in some triathlon, marathon or sporting event held on weekends. Can be spotted in the mornings or evenings around the hospital jogging and never seems to stop. Inspires stares from student nurses, who hope that the jock is single and available.

THE ARTISTIC
“All the world’s a stage” – and The Artistic loves the tragedies that play out in the hospital.What more with the issues of life, death, suffering and all the kaleidoscope of feelings that mankind has. They say medicine is an art and this sense of idealism inspires the artist in them. The Artistic is a lot more optimistic and channels negative energies into creativity and works of art.

THE UNSCRUPULOUS
The bad sheep of the flock. They are definitely a Questionable Admission and a bad nut. Usually one of the rarest – a mistake in upbringing and selection criteria – some are motivated by money, others are unmotivated by patients and suffering. Have suspicious values and often sabotage and take advantage of others. If their goals cannot be achieved legitimately, there is always the hook or crook method. Only detectable if they let their guard down.

THE SANE ONE
Quits Medical School.

Off Beat >>

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 17:02:00 +0000

This post is off topic but i wanted to post it because i wanted to put up how i learned some blogging. Before i started to have an idea to blog, i was a regular visitor to john chow who runs a blog on making money online. At first sight i thought it was a blog about cars, then i thought it was about technology and later i came to know that he deals mostly about how to make money online from blogging. Though my purpose of reading his blog was not to learn how to make money, but i learned a lot of etiquette on blogging, the how to's on good blogging. He does respond well to all his visitors and i wonder how he manages to keep 24/7 interaction with the visitors to his site. He seems to put himself on duty infront of his computer like a intern.

He offers a link back to any visitor who review's his blog , some of his evil ways to get to the top on google search. Hope i start to make use of his evil ways for SEO. I never knew someone can make a cool 7000$ out of just blogging in such a short period of 2 years. Thats a fantastic work on his part to make it happen, though it comes out of his extra gracious flair for writing.

Artificial Vein : A boon to Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:49:00 +0000

Results from human trials into the new plastic vein -- which is being developed for use in bypass operations -- have shown a 100 per cent success rate in the first six months.

The artificial artery is different from those currently in use because it is "rifled" inside, like a gun barrel, and encourages blood to spiral as it moves along.

Until recently it was assumed that blood flowed in a straight line, and artificial veins were manufactured with smooth insides to reflect that. However it was discovered that blood corkscrews as it flows, causing less friction or damage to arteries and helping to clear away potential blockages. Based on this scientists developed an artificial vein to mimic the natural spiralling movement of human blood.

The simple adjustment from a smooth to a "rifled" vein has produced "remarkable" results in human trials.

The findings represent a breakthrough in the future treatment offered to the 10.7 million people who suffer from peripheral arterial diseases, including those that lead to amputations, heart attacks and strokes.

But so far all the grafts have stayed open and bloodflow speed has remained constant.

How it works :

The new artificial vein mimics naturally occurring spiral laminar flow (SLF) of blood in healthy human arteries

The spiralling motion is started by the pumping action of the heart and continues in human veins, which expand and contract and also twist slightly to 'spin' blood as it flows around the body

SLF evolved in humans as the most efficient way of transporting blood, because it reduces turbulence and friction in arteries, causing less damage. It also naturally sweeps

In diseased veins, caused for example by smoking, obesity and diabetes, the spiralling motion breaks down and veins become sluggish. Blockages then occur that cause areas of turbulence in the vein and result in pain

The new artificial vein, used in bypass operations to replace diseased sections of vein, is a plastic tube with an internal groove that encourages blood to spiral again

Because the new vein makes blood spiral, the implant suffers less friction and less damage. As a result the implants are expected to have a lifespan of at least twice as long as smooth artificial veins currently in use

It is indeed a big leap forward in surgery.

If only all doc's are like this, i would constantly fall ill

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:19:00 +0000

Beauty do exist in medical field too....!!

GM mosquito 'could fight malaria'

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:22:00 +0000

A genetically modified (GM) strain of malaria-resistant mosquito has been created that is better able to survive than disease-carrying insects.

The insect carries a gene that prevents infection by the malaria parasite.

Surival of the fittest :

The approach exploits the fact that the health of infected mosquitoes is itself compromised by the parasite they spread. Insects that cannot be invaded by the parasite are therefore likely to be fitter and out-compete their disease-carrying counterparts.

The scientists also inserted the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) into the transgenic mosquitoes which made their eyes glow green.

With the ethical issues to be resolved, it may take another 10 years for these mosquitos are releaseds into nature..

No more side Effects from drugs : Nanotech to the rescue

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:12:00 +0000

The list of side effects on your prescription bottle may one day be a lot shorter.That's because instead of taking a conventional medication, you may swallow tiny "nanofactories," biochemical machines that act like cells.

For example, these ingested nanofactories, using magnetism, could detect a bacterial infection, produce a medication using the body's own materials, and deliver a dose directly to the bacteria. The drug would do its work only at the infection site, and thus not cause the side effects that may arise when an antibiotic travels throughout the body in search of infections.

It is to produce a tiny nanofactory and attach it to a target cell magnetically. The nanofactory then makes small molecules from surrounding materials and delivers the molecules--potentially drug molecules--to the targeted cell.

The researchers attached the nanofactories to E. coli cells, targeting them with the help of a mixture of iron particles and chitosan, a substance derived from the shells of crustaceans like crabs and shrimp. The nanofactories then produced a signaling molecule that could render the E. coli harmless. Nanofactories could be designed to produce the needed drug molecules over an extended period of time.

Few challenges before they can be used in humans.
1. Nanofactories must be cloaked so that the body does not react to them as a foreign substance and try to attack them.
2. Another goal is to find a method to shut down the nanofactory once it has produced the needed substance(type of off-switch) that could be activated from outside the body.

Soon u can see nanofactories in the prescriptions from your doctor...

Brain tumours shrink with cannabis extract

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:31:00 +0000

The cannabis extracts block a key chemical needed for tumours to sprout blood vessels – a process called angiogenesis. For the first time, scientists has shown that cannabinoids impede this chemical in people with the most aggressive form of brain cancer - Glioblastoma multiforme.

Cannabis extracts may shrink brain tumours and other cancers by blocking the growth of the blood vessels which feed them. When the tumour doesnt have a blood supply it eventually doesn't grow and if we can target therapy for the tumour cells that are formed already, we sure can find a therapy for cancer.

How it works ?

Marijuana extract(delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) inhibited the expression of several genes related to the production of a chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

VEGF is critical for angiogenesis, which allows tumours to grow a network of blood vessels to supply their growth. The cannabinoid significantly lowered the activity of VEGF in two human brain cancer patients. The drug did this by increasing the activity of a fat molecule called ceramide.

On treating the brain tumour patients with cannabinoid, the tumour became pale and small reflecting the loss of blood supply to the tumour. Its in the early stages of the research.

Now to put good use of cannabis in Neurosurgical field into reality...

Doc's : Problem of plenty

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:04:00 +0000

There has been a recent news of hundreds of junior british doctors have applied for jobs in India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. There has been a shortage of jobs in National Health Services, UK which before used to be a lucrative destination for doctors.

The National Health Service had recently advertised for 22,000 junior doctors’ posts for which it received over 30,000 applications. Even if 22,000 vacancies are filled, there will be about 8,000 unemployed doctors. Thousands of British doctors face the prospect of emigrating to various countries due to uncertainties caused by procedural flaws in the recruitment system called Modernising Medical Careers (MMC), an online application system. Following criticism from experts in the field, the British Government has ordered a review of the system.

Many Indian private hospitals have been advertising for British doctors as India is currently experiencing a boom in medical tourism. There is ever growing population of doctors in India, with more coming in there comes the problem of plenty.

Is there anyplace in the world where doctors are in short service?

NicStic: A battery powered smokeless ciggy

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:14:00 +0000

The NicStic is a cigarette-size plastic tube with a rechargeable heating coil that vaporizes tobacco instead of burning it.

Pop a filter on the end of the tube, and in seconds it is warmed up enough for a nicotine fix without the smoke. Because it has no smoke, it also has none of the tar, arsenic, cadmium and formaldehyde of regular cigarettes.

The NicStic kit comes with a small plastic heating case, three voltage adapters and a carton of filters in boxes that resemble standard cigarette packs. The heating case is powered by a 3.7-volt lithium battery like those found in cell phones or digital cameras; once charged, it can fire up about 20 fume-free smokes.

It may seem to give smokers another crutch to maintain their nic addiction. But the device is a way to help smokers who want to kick the habit.

Enjoyment without discrimination !!

Would u knock or ring the bell ?

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:06:00 +0000

Believe it or not, the deer doorbell ringer in this picture is 100% real.

I wonder if the head of the deer is on the other side acting as a coat rack for patients?

Electrical Muscle Stimulation Mouse

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:08:00 +0000

Being worried about body shape but there is no time for training. "EMS Muscle Mouse" is designed to help such people to exercise, tone up muscles even while using a computer. Though it shaped as a normal mouse, EMS(Electrical Muscle Stimulation) system powered by USB is built-in in addition to normal mouse functions. So even while using as a normal mouse, just strap pads on your body and you can get EMS exercise at the same time.

It functions as high spec optical mouse of 800dpi resolution. While it looks exactly like standard mouse, once you connect a cable attached, EMS system works as well simultaneously. EMS power on/off and 3 modes can be controlled by the mouse. You are able to tone up or refreshes your body even without getting attention to others.

Also safe design of auto-power-off feature is built-in. If you forget to turn the power off, the power is automatically shut off in one hour.

Sure, it was designed to help you exercise while you're playing video games, but maybe if we put it on our calves we'll ward off those DVTs . . .

Hair growth cycle

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:42:00 +0000

You have to understand the fact that shedding of hairs is a natural process and anything from 100 to 300 hairs normally shed each day. But to understand this process clearly you should know two distinct aspects of normal hair loss - what involves the hair growth cycle and assessing the natural progression of hair loss.

Hair composes of long and twisted keratin fibers, which are protected by coating of keratinised cells. A cluster of active cells called as the dermal papilla lie just below the surface of the skin. The hair grows into its follicle from dermal papilla. Eventually this growing fiber hardens and grows out from scalp. At this stage hair fiber will die and only the root tip contains living cells.

The hair growth cycle consists of three stages:

Anagen stage
This stage lasts between two and seven years. Each hair grows on average about six inches (15cm) per year.

Catagen stage
This phase of transition lasts roughly for two to four weeks. During this phase the hair shaft gets detached from the dermal papilla. Then it moves up within a shrinking follicle.

Telogen stage
This is a resting period that lasts for about three months. It allows the hair to detach itself from the hair follicle before falling out. After this, the cycle repeats itself if any other factor won’t intervene to prevent repetition of cycle.

Time plays an important role in the development of hair loss in case of both men and women. Normally human beings are born with different amounts of soft and fine body hair. Through time some part of this hair becomes stronger and further develops various characteristics like color and texture. Normally up to the onset of puberty one’s hairline spreads at a low pace across the forehead. In case of men, it continues only for few more years.

When men progress through their twenties their hairline gets a more mature look with recessions to the frontal temporal regions. It will also get accompanied by slight thinning elsewhere. One need not equate this concave appearance to premature balding as it is all about a question of degree.

The following hormones affect the hair growth cycle as follows:

1. High levels of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme are found in some cells of hair follicle and sebaceous glands.
2. 5-alpha-reductase helps in converting testosterone into DHT.
3. DHT causes the miniaturisation of terminal hairs.
4. It leaves short, soft, fluffy vellus hairs that provide inadequate scalp coverage.
5. Gradually the growth phases become shorter until these hairs are lost for good.

In case of normal hair loss it does not require any remedial action. But in case of more extreme loss it calls for immediate action.

Why Intelligent People Tend To Be Unhappy?

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 10:09:00 +0000

Education systems in countries whose primary interest is in wealth accumulation encourage heroes in movies, war and sports, but not in intellectual development. Super intelligent people manage, but few reach the top of the business or social ladder.

Children develop along four streams: intellectual, physical, emotional (psychological) and social. In classrooms, the smartest kids tend to be left out of more activities by other children than they are included in. They are "odd," they are the geeks, they are social outsiders. In other words, they do not develop socially as well as they may develop intellectually or even physically where opportunities may exist for more progress.

Their emotional development, characterized by their ability to cope with risky or stressful situations, especially over long periods of time, also lags behind that of the average person.

Adults tend to believe that intelligent kids can deal with anything because they are intellectually superior. This inevitably includes situations where the intelligent kids have neither knowledge nor skills to support their experience. They go through the tough times alone. Adults don't understand that they need help and other kids don't want to associate with kids the social leaders say are outsiders.

As a result we have many highly intelligent people whose social development progresses much slower than that of most people and they have trouble coping with the stressors of life that present themselves to everyone. It should come as no surprise that the vast majority of prison inmates are socially and emotionally underdeveloped or maldeveloped and a larger than average percentage of them are more intelligent than the norm.

What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

noreply@blogger.com (Med) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:48:00 +0000

The average adult needs to consume about 2000 - 2500 Calories to maintain their weight. You have a fixed amount of Calories to "spend" each day; based on the following pictures, which would you eat?
Each of the photographs below represents 200 Calories of the particular type of food.

Celery
1425 grams = 200 Calories

Snickers chocolate Bar
41 grams = 200 Calories

Puffed Rice Cereal
54 grams = 200 Calories

Fiber One Cereal
100 grams = 200 Calories

Carrots
570 grams = 200 Calories

Brown Sugar
53 grams = 200 Calories

Apples
385 grams = 200 Calories

Sweet Corn
308 grams = 200 Calories

Red Onions
475 grams = 200 Calories

Coca Cola
496 ml = 200 Calories