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Vaccines
Written on by“Vaccines don’t cause autism, do they?” asked my sister-in-law, as she was strapping her 4-month-old son into his car seat for a doctor’s visit. “No,” I replied. “Promise?” she asked. What could I say to that? No, I can’t promise. No, I have no idea if he’ll end up with autism, or what the cause […]
Lost and Found
Written on byThis is a great story about the quest to reunite a digital camera with its unknown owner. This sort of thing can only happen with digital technology. Several years ago, while sneaking in a few extra days off at the tail end of a business trip, I bought a disposable Kodak camera. Taking a break […]
In the Air
Written on byI’m working on a solution brief about voice-over-wireless-LAN in medical centers for a company that provides wireless network security. Before your eyes cross and you tune me out entirely, I can assure you that there is something interesting here. Imagine your wireless network at home, or at the office. There are dead spots, places where […]
Ivan’s Diary
Written on byIvan Noble, a BBC reporter, wrote a blog/diary about his diagnosis and treatment for a brain tumor (or tumour, to be British about it). The last entry was three years ago, and I still think about it. It’s worth sharing, for those who didn’t read it the first time.
Another Reason to Take a Day Off
Written on byThe BBC is reporting that stressful jobs negatively affect the body. The study, from the European Heart Journal, was met with a collective “duh” from anyone who has ever had a stressful job. “Stress appeared to upset the part of the nervous system which controls the heart, telling it how to work and controlling the […]
Defibrillation Delays in Hospitals
Written on byA new report in the New England Journal of Medicine says that almost one-third of patients do not receive the necessary defibrillation within two minutes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The chances of survival diminish with each passing minute. The lead author, Dr. Paul S. Chan of St. Luke’s Mid-America Heart Institute in Kansas City, […]
Good Eats
Written on byIf you’ve ever gone out to eat and looked at the kid’s menu, you would quickly understand why we have an obesity epidemic. The staples are chicken fingers, breaded and deep fried; cheeseburgers; pizza; mac and cheese; grilled cheese; and hot dogs. All are served with french fries and your choice of high fructose corn […]
Oranges and Medical Applications
Written on byIt’s clementine season, which means that we’re going through boxes of small citrus fruits each week. Now that we have a little guy, there are always pieces of food that go uneaten, and clementines are no different. But this has prompted me to do some real thinking about orange peels. Picture it: you peel an […]
Autism and Fever
Written on byYou can hardly turn on the radio or read the news this week without hearing something about the study that indicates that fever seems to relieve the symptoms of autism. When I first heard the news, I was fascinated. What is it in the human brain that gets “fixed” by fevers? It’s absolutely amazing news, […]
Chimps Have Better Memories
Written on byThis seems especially appropriate this time of year when your brain is strained to the limit. Japanese researchers report that young chimpanzees have better memories than adult humans. Does that let us all off the hook for the little details that we forget as the holidays approach?