Medical Blog October Archive

The Warmth of Coffee

By Website Introductions at 10/28/08 19:55

When we see drink of coffee, we think of warmth of character and being, for some reason, snuggly with our peers. According to a recent US research, there might be some truth behind this.

According to the research, people have this impressionof warmness in strangers they first met to be holding a warm cup of coffee. The test also showed that people who are near warm sources are generous than someone who is just held a cold source.

Link: BBC NEWS | Health | Hot drinks promote warm feelings

Human Rhinovirus Infection

Researcher said that the array of activated or deactivated during rhinoviral infections caused by rhinovirus - 16, a major common cold virus, is broader than previously expected.

David Pround, Ph.D., of University of Calgary with his colleagues reported that expressions of more than 6,500 genes was altered when you are infected with human rhinovirus - 16 in their report in the Noveber 1 issue of the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine". More detail about the cold virus are expounded on the link below.

Link: Medical News: Rhinovirus Infection Generates Surprisingly Broad Host Response - in Infectious Disease, Flu & URI from MedPage Today

Scientists delete scary memory in mice; possible treatment for post-traumatic disorder

Nobody would like to dwell in those traumatic memories we have. Personally, I would like those memories, especially the most traumatic ones, to be forever deleted from my memory. That may be possible a couple from years now.

Scientists have successfully deleted scary memories in genetically engineered mice. These mice's brains were engineered to overproduce a key enzyme that is also present in human beings. This may be a step toward a possible cure for post-traumatic disorders.

Link: Scientists erase scary memories in mice - Los Angeles Times

FDA allows deadly human experiments

Testing new drugs on human beings is no joke, for your test subjects are live people who may die if the drug is toxic, which is why I can't help but wonder why the FDA allowed continued experimentation of a new type of artificial blood on patients even though past studies showed that it increases their risk of death. That is quite appalling, if you ask me.

Link: FDA Approved Human Medical Experiments with Artificial Blood; Hundreds Died

Medical Reporting Anomalies

Former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, K. Narayana Kurup, says that the culture of blame, shame, punishment, and peer condemnation are the the clear shackles in reporting medical errors.

He also said to change this state affair and that the patient society should be forgiving that will give focus on problem solving approach with the issue.

Mr. Kurup said that the correct approach is to re-design the whole system so that the errors committed will be acknowledged, detected, intercepted and investigated.

Link: The Hindu : National : Kurup’s prescription for reporting medical errors