prep4md.com

Whats the real deal with H1N1 vaccine?

2009-10-03T18:48:00.002+02:00

Conspiracy theorizes can go on as long as they want but at the end of the day clinicians and researchers will only go by the recommendations of these institutes and organizations.

WHO: World Health Organization

Full coverage of H1n1 pandemic
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

H1N1 Vaccince
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/pandemic_influenza_vaccines_20090924/en/index.html

CDC: Center of Disease Control

H1n1 full coverage
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

H1n1 Vaccine
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm

H1N1 Vaccine and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/gbs_qa.htm

FDA: Food and Drug Administration

H1N1 full coverage
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm150305.htm

AMA: American Medical Association

H1N1 Vaccine
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/h1n1/vaccination-information.shtml

NIH: National Institute of Health

2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Works Like Seasonal Flu Vaccine
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2009/niaid-21.htm

Flu Dot Gov (for everything flu!)
http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/index.html

NIAID: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
H1N1
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Flu/H1N1/

Live well!

Do Vaccines Cause Autism? Correlation vs. Causation

2009-10-02T01:20:00.001+02:00

When we make risky decisions about our health, it's always good to be in possession of all the facts, to let our brains, and not our hearts, make the decision. Your child is thousands of times more likely to die from a preventable disease you didn't vaccinate them against than to develop autism from a vaccine you did give them. The case for autism and vaccines is solely based on weak correlations and emotional responses.

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tl3tUQng9Q

Origin Of Life: Chemistry + Biology = Abiogenesis

2009-10-01T18:56:00.000+02:00

Does Evolution Explain Human Nature?

2009-09-30T22:38:00.000+02:00

Corey S. Powell, Editor and Chief of Discover Magazine, Kenneth Miller, Professor of Biology at Brown University, Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology Yale University, and David Sloan Wilson, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghampton University, discuss how we got to be the way we are.

Is Homosexuality an Illness? Mental Disorder? a Disease?

2009-06-28T03:22:00.002+03:00

Homosexuality refers to sexual attraction or sexual behavior between people of the same sex, or to a sexual orientation. As an orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions primarily to" people of the same sex; "it also refers to an individual’s sense of personal and social identity based on those attractions, behaviors expressing them, and membership in a community of others who share them."

Homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation, along with bisexuality and heterosexuality, within the heterosexual-homosexual continuum. The number of people who identify as homosexual — and the proportion of people who have same-sex sexual experiences — are difficult for researchers to estimate reliably for a variety of reasons. In the modern West, major studies indicate a prevalence of 2% to 13% of the population.
A 2006 study suggested that 20% of the population anonymously reported some homosexual feelings, although relatively few participants in the study identified themselves as homosexual.

Psychology was one of the first disciplines to study homosexuality as a discrete phenomenon. In the late 19th and throughout most of the 20th centuries, pathological models of homosexuality were standard. On December 15, 1973, the American Psychiatric Association, removed homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders. The American Psychological Association Council of Representatives adopted the same measure on January 24-26, 1975.
The first attempts to classify homosexuality as a disease were made by the fledgling European sexologist movement in the late 19th century. In 1886 noted sexologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing listed homosexuality along with 200 other case studies of deviant sexual practices in his definitive work, Psychopathia Sexualis. Krafft-Ebing proposed that homosexuality was caused by either "congenital [during birth] inversion" or an "acquired inversion".

In the last two decades of the 19th century, a different view began to predominate in medical and psychiatric circles, judging such behavior as indicative of a type of person with a defined and relatively stable sexual orientation. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pathological models of homosexuality were standard.

Today, according to American Psychological Association:

“Psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals agree that homosexuality is not an illness, a mental disorder, or an emotional problem. More than 35 years of objective, well-designed scientific research has shown that homosexuality, in and itself, is not associated with mental disorders or emotional or social problems. Homosexuality was once thought to be a mental illness because mental health professionals and society had biased information.In the past, the studies of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people involved only those in therapy, thus biasing the resulting conclusions. When researchers examined data about such people who were not in therapy, the idea that homosexuality was a mental illness was quickly found to be untrue. In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association confirmed the importance of the new, better-designed research and removed homosexuality from the official manual that lists mental and emotional disorders. Two years later, the American Psychological Association passed a resolution supporting this removal.”

The World Health Organization's ICD-9 (1977) listed homosexuality as a mental illness; it was removed from the ICD-10, endorsed by the Forty-third World Health Assembly on May 17, 1990. Like the DSM-II, the ICD-10 added ego-dystonic sexual orientation to the list, which refers to people who want to change their gender identities or sexual orientation because of a psychological or behavioral disorder.

Etiology

There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation. The main reasons cited include genetic and environmental factors, likely in combination. Other factors that may play a role include prenatal hormone exposure, where hormones play a role in determining sexual orientation as they do with sex differentiation; and prenatal stress on the mother.The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that "sexual orientation probably is not determined by any one factor but by a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences".

The American Psychological Association has stated that "there are probably many reasons for a person's sexual orientation and the reasons may be different for different people". It stated that, for most people, sexual orientation is determined at an early age. The American Psychiatric Association has stated that, "to date there are no replicated scientific studies supporting any specific biological etiology for homosexuality. Similarly, no specific psychosocial or family dynamic cause for homosexuality has been identified, including histories of childhood sexual abuse". Research into how sexual orientation may be determined by genetic or other prenatal factors plays a role in political and social debates about homosexuality, and also raises fears about genetic profiling and prenatal testing.

Innate bisexuality (or predisposition to bisexuality) is a term introduced by Sigmund Freud, based on work by his associate Wilhelm Fliess, that expounds that all humans are born bisexual but through psychological development - which includes both external and internal factors - become monosexual, while the bisexuality remains in a latent state.In a 2008 study, its authors stated that "there is considerable evidence that human sexual orientation is genetically influenced, so it is not known how homosexuality, which tends to lower reproductive success, is maintained in the population at a relatively high frequency". They hypothesized that "while genes predisposing to homosexuality reduce homosexuals' reproductive success, they may confer some advantage in heterosexuals who carry them".

Their results suggested that "genes predisposing to homosexuality may confer a mating advantage in heterosexuals, which could help explain the evolution and maintenance of homosexuality in the population".

Homosexual behavior in animals

Homosexual behavior in animals refers to the documented evidence of homosexual, bisexual and transgender behavior in non-human animals. Such behaviors include sex, courtship, affection, pair bonding, and parenting. Homosexual and bisexual behavior are widespread in the animal kingdom: a 1999 review by researcher Bruce Bagemihl shows that homosexual behavior, has been observed in close to 1500 species, ranging from primates to gut worms, and is well documented for 500 of them.

Animal sexual behavior takes many different forms, even within the same species. The motivations for and implications of these behaviors have yet to be fully understood, since most species have yet to be fully studied. According to Bagemihl, "the animal kingdom [does] it with much greater sexual diversity -- including homosexual, bisexual and nonreproductive sex -- than the scientific community and society at large have previously been willing to accept."

No, homosexuality is not an illness, a mental disorder, or a disease.

Most Memorable Songs

2009-06-27T00:11:00.003+03:00

In no particular order ...

Rolling Stones --- Paint it Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP2VyquMAaM

Michael Jackson --- We Are The World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmxT21uFRwM

Queen --- We Will Rock You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iikKzQwgBJc

Dolly Parton -- Jolene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1plvBR02wDs

Eminem - Lose Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y

Evanescence --- Bring Me To Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HSS8qeOFJw

U2 --- With or Without You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ye8GLPUVsM

Michael Jackson --- Black or White
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOBHVPvi-s

R.E.M. --- Losing My Religion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XFMCgeI7c

Linkin Park --- Numb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIaXYIEQivk

Cher - Believe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5xsiKBJGW4

Yolanda Adams - I Believe I Can Fly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBPBfNlCHio

Metallica --- Sandman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QP-SIW6iKY

Michael Jackson - Beat It
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGOiS75Lwk

Hope you enjoyed. What are your favorites?

Tribute To Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T02:01:00.002+03:00

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, five of his solo studio albumshave become some of the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

Surgery's Past, Present and Robotic Future

2009-06-19T03:05:00.003+03:00

Surgeon and inventor Catherine Mohr tours the history of surgery (and its pre-painkiller, pre-antiseptic past), then demos some of the newest tools for surgery through tiny incisions,

performed using nimble robot hands. Fascinating -- but not for the squeamish.

She is a research physician with an extensive engineering background working on evaluating emerging technologies for incorporation into surgical robots. Interested in optical and biological diagnostics, microsurgical manipulation, and development of new surgical procedures.

Catherine Mohr’s Specialties:

Surgical education, surgical procedure development in a variety of specialties, instrument design, new technology evaluation.

Trans Fats - A Podcast

2009-06-14T21:18:00.000+03:00

UMMC nutrition expert Mary Beth Sodus discusses trans fats: what they are, which foods contain them, and the health consequences of eating foods that contain them. Listeners will learn what kinds of products contain trans fats and how to look for trans fats on nutrition labels. In addition, other topics mentioned in this podcast include: the debate over butter versus margarine and how to avoid trans fats when eating out.

In this interview with Sharon Boston, Ms. Sodus also explains how trans fats were first developed and the hydrogenation process, which is used to create trans fats.

About the Expert:
Mary Beth Sodus is a nutritionist for the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Mitral Valve Surgery - A Podcast

2009-06-14T21:16:00.000+03:00

The mitral valve is the "inflow valve" for the main pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle. The valve can malfunction and cause blood to flow backwards into the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath. Over time, this can weaken the heart muscle and lead to congestive heart failure.

In this podcast, listeners can learn about various mitral valve disorders and treatments from UMMC mitral valve surgery expert Dr. James Gammie. Dr. Gammie describes a minimally invasive option to fix the mitral valve known as videoscopic mitral valve repair. He says there are many advantages to repairing the mitral valve rather than replacing it.

In this interview with Michelle Murray, Dr. Gammie also talks about the types of patients who make ideal candidates for minimally invasive mitral valve repair.

About the Expert.
Dr. James Gammie is a cardiac surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and an associate professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Medical Marvels: Progeria Children

2009-06-14T21:02:00.003+03:00

Progeria (also known as "Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome") is an extremely rare genetic condition where symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at an early age. About 1 in 8 million babies are born with this condition, and most affected children have a life span of around 13 years, although many have been known to live into their late teens and early twenties. It is a genetic condition, but occurs as a new mutation (sporadically) and is not usually inherited, although there is one unique form of the condition identified in only one family in the world that is inherited from parents who carry the protein genetically. In this case, five children in the family had the condition.

This is in contrast to another rare but similar premature aging syndrome, dyskeratosis congenita (DKC), which is inheritable and will often be expressed multiple times in a family line. Scientists are particularly interested in progeria because it might reveal clues about the normal process of aging.

The earliest symptoms include failure to thrive and a localized scleroderma-like skin condition.

As the child ages past infancy, additional conditions become apparent. Limited growth, alopecia, and a distinctive appearance (small face and jaw, pinched nose) are all characteristic of progeria. The people diagnosed with this disease usually have small, fragile bodies, like those of elderly people. Later, the condition causes wrinkled skin, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular problems.

Religion and Evolution

2009-06-13T16:23:00.002+03:00

Last Thursday, I attended this conference about "Science and Religion". There were like a 100 medical students and fresh graduates, 10s of professors and attending physicians, and three Speakers. When one of the speakers said something in the lines of:

"Do not take science or medicine from your religion scholars or holy books. Separate religion from science. Spare yourself and your religions the embarrassment. When you are confronted with a scientific fact that contradicts what your school of faith is preaching what will you do? Science contradicts religion in many instances. Do not take scientific facts from your scriptures without evidence or proper research. If your book says honey or holy water cures diseases do not believe it until it is empirically proven..."

You will not believe the kind of responses the guy got. The students went ballistic! We started hearing comments like: "who are you to say this" "How dare you falsify religion" "what do you know about religion" "god is never wrong" "he is an apostate" ...

So, I thought of asking you guys how you deal with this. As doctors, researchers, and intelligent well educated guys, what do you do when Religion contradicts Science? When you have a scientific theory, like evolution, that is accepted by the majority of scientists and is considered the unifying dogma of biology, and in the same time contradicts stories and versus from the bible and quran, what do you do?

Hand it over to science? Claim its a conspiracy theory? Say religion is spiritual and does not require scientific approval? You don't care? Religion is an epic fail? My religion could never be proven wrong ... one day, science itself would prove the evolutionary theory and all the other facts that contradict religion, wrong? get them infidels? Religion is much higher than this ... do not mix them together? Hallelujah?

Let me know...

Peace!

Minimally Invasive Surgery - Podcast

2009-06-12T02:43:00.001+03:00

Minimally invasive surgery, also known as laparoscopic or keyhole surgery, is performed with small incisions and gives patients a much faster recovery. Dr. Patricia Turner, a general surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, discusses the latest advances in minimally invasive surgery and says even some of the most complex operations can be done this way.

Speaking with Ellen Beth Levitt, she describes the wide range of procedures performed with only a few small incisions, including gallbladder removal, reflux surgery, hernia repairs, appendectomy, kidney removal from living kidney donors, removal of colon tumors, bariatric surgery, and for heart bypass and heart valve operations. Dr. Turner is part of the University of Maryland Minimally Invasive Surgery Center.

Celiac Disease - A Podcast

2009-06-12T02:40:00.002+03:00

Celiac disease is a genetic disorder affecting children and adults. It is more common that many people had previously believed and it causes a wide range of serious health problems. People with celiac disease are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. For many years, researchers have been working diligently to find the cause of this disease and better treatment options. Currently, the cure is to strictly avoid eating any gluten-containing foods. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Animation

2009-06-11T05:08:00.002+03:00

Since its introduction in the late 1980s, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the treatment of choice for symptomatic gallstone disease. Today more than 75% of cholecystectomies are performed laparoscopically. By choosing laparoscopic cholecystectomy vs. open cholecystectomy , the patient can achieve a better cosmetic result with less scarring, a faster recovery with return to normal activity and a shorter hospital stay. Regretfully, there are a variety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy complications.

Heart Failure Treatments - A Podcast

2009-06-11T03:54:00.001+03:00

In spite of the urgency in its name, heart failure is usually a long-term health condition that progresses over time. Treatments for this condition range from taking medication and making lifestyle changes, to being placed on a heart pump and undergoing a heart transplant.

In this interview with Bill Seiler, Mandeep R. Mehra, M.B.B.S., discusses the many treatments for heart failure and the wide range of options available for patients at the University of Maryland Heart Center. He also discusses recent research breakthroughs that are now enabling doctors to tailor treatments to meet the needs of their individual patients.

About the Expert:
Mandeep R. Mehra, M.B.B.S., is the chief of cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Heart Failure Basics - A Podcast

2009-06-10T18:37:00.001+03:00

Abiogenesis - The Origin Of Life - Carl Sagan

2009-06-10T15:06:00.001+03:00

Abiogenesis: The Origin Of Life - Best Of Carl Sagan's Cosmo

Was Ida Over Hyped?

2009-06-06T17:01:00.002+03:00

Here is one opinion:

Eratosthenes And The Round Earth Model - Carl Sagan - Cosmos

2009-06-06T16:54:00.003+03:00

Eratosthenes And The Round Earth Model - Best Of Carl Sagan's Cosmos

A scholar discovered that the earth was round In the third century BC.

DNA: The Common Basis Of Life - Carl Sagan - Cosmos

2009-06-06T16:49:00.002+03:00

DNA: The Common Basis Of Life (Evolution/Abiogenesis) - Best Of Carl Sagan's Cosmos

President Obama Calls for Real Health Care Reform - June 5th

2009-06-06T16:46:00.002+03:00

The President makes clear that as Congress works through health care reform legislation, it must include fundamental changes that lower costs, ensure Americans have choices, and establish access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. But what we cant welcome, the President says, is reform that just invests more money in the status quo reform that throws good money after bad habits.

How accurate is this?

2009-06-04T03:25:00.003+03:00

Lecturer explains how humans came to have 46 chromosomes while chimpanzees have 48 and discusses the evolutionary significance of this discvery.

Its the first time I hear this argument, so I would like to know what you think of it.

President Obama on Cybersecurity

2009-06-02T20:07:00.000+03:00

The President announces his plans for securing America's digital future. May 29, 2009

Jay Walker on the world's English mania

2009-06-02T20:05:00.001+03:00

Jay Walker explains why two billion people around the world are trying to learn English. He shares photos and spine-tingling audio of Chinese students rehearsing English -- "the world's second language" -- by the thousands.