MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'air,'. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:55:12 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757939&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcarlat-on-nprs-fresh-air.html For those who are interested in topics dwelt on in this blog and in my book Unhinged, please check out my interview on the NPR show Fresh Air, which was aired on Tuesday July 13, and is available on the NPR website here. Give it a listen. Hopefully I was fairly articulate, although it's hard to know when you are sitting alone in a studio with a giant microphone staring you in the face and an engineer cheering you on behind a window in the control room!I found the host, Dave Davies (who was filling in for Terry Gross), extremely informed and I am perpetually impressed by the quality of programming on NPR. Today I was on another NPR show called Radio Boston, hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti (listen to it here) and again was amazed at the production quality and the intelligence of the questioning... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757939 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:49:00 +0100 3757939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758040&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FTJeQrlF-mAM%2F Kick back and relax at home in your living room — just not in a pleather recliner in front of a plasma TV with the A/C blasting. Here are 10 natural selections that will liven up your living room in the eco-friendliest (and eco-chicest) ways. Energy-Efficient Boob-Tube With all their bells and whistles, some flat-screens now rival the fridge as your home’s energy Public Enemy Number One. Your best bet: an Energy Star-certified LCD or LED model (plasma TVs tend to be the biggest electricity hogs). We like the sleek look of Philips’ new Eco TVs from the 5000 and 7000 series. From $1,000; visit Philips for more. Clean Carpets Sure, sisal and sea grass are earth-friendly and affordable rug options, but unless your house is free of kids wielding markers, pets that pee, or guests who s... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758040 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:42:05 +0100 3758040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757837&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F10-ways-to-an-eco-chic-living-room-green-your-house-series%2F Kick back and relax at home in your living room — just not in a pleather recliner in front of a plasma TV with the A/C blasting. Here are 10 natural selections that will liven up your living room in the eco-friendliest (and eco-chicest) ways. Energy-Efficient Boob-Tube With all their bells and whistles, some flat-screens now rival the fridge as your home’s energy Public Enemy Number One. Your best bet: an Energy Star-certified LCD or LED model (plasma TVs tend to be the biggest electricity hogs). We like the sleek look of Philips’ new Eco TVs from the 5000 and 7000 series. From $1,000; visit Philips for more. Clean Carpets Sure, sisal and sea grass are earth-friendly and affordable rug options, but unless your house is free of kids wielding markers, pets that pee, or guests who s... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757837 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:42:05 +0100 3757837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733230&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-tCXEQ2swc0%2F It’s like a heat wave…Burnin’ in my heart…I can’t keep from cryin…It’s tearin’ me apart. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas might call this love, but we call it hellish weather, and it’s hitting a lot of us this week. We haven’t figured out how to stay unfazed by 100º weather, but we welcome Care2’s 7 tips for avoiding heat stroke. They might seem obvious, but muggy heat doesn’t exactly encourage clear thinking. Stick to the basics and be smart in the sun this summer: Air-conditioning, fans, and shade: The best way to keep cool is air-conditioning, and though we don’t encourage excessive use of the energy-sucking machines, when it gets super hot, it’s smart to use air-conditioning, fans, and shade to keep... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733230 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:07:15 +0100 3733230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733054&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F7-ways-to-stay-safe-in-the-sun-because-love-is-not-a-heatwave%2F It’s like a heat wave…Burnin’ in my heart…I can’t keep from cryin…It’s tearin’ me apart. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas might call this love, but we call it hellish weather, and it’s hitting a lot of us this week. We haven’t figured out how to stay unfazed by 100º weather, but we welcome Care2’s 7 tips for avoiding heat stroke. They might seem obvious, but muggy heat doesn’t exactly encourage clear thinking. Stick to the basics and be smart in the sun this summer: Air-conditioning, fans, and shade: The best way to keep cool is air-conditioning, and though we don’t encourage excessive use of the energy-sucking machines, when it gets super hot, it’s smart to use air-conditioning, fans, and shade to keep... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733054 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:07:15 +0100 3733054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671938&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FHp0G2vYPN_4%2F photo via Treehugger Air conditioning is one of those things that we feel bad about using, but really can’t make ourselves give up. The heat makes us cranky, so imagine how overjoyed we were today to learn that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has invented a new air conditioning process that would use 50-90% less energy than today’s most energy-efficient units. There will also be no CFCs of HCFCs used in the machines. One pound of either of those chemicals contributes to global warming as much as 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Whoa. Get us these A/Cs, pronto, please. via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Eco-Friendly Living: More Energy-Efficient Air-Conditioning Coming Soon (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671938 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:05:35 +0100 3671938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671648&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Feco-friendly-living-more-energy-efficient-air-conditioning-coming-soon%2F photo via Treehugger Air conditioning is one of those things that we feel bad about using, but really can’t make ourselves give up. The heat makes us cranky, so imagine how overjoyed we were today to learn that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has invented a new air conditioning process that would use 50-90% less energy than today’s most energy-efficient units. There will also be no CFCs of HCFCs used in the machines. One pound of either of those chemicals contributes to global warming as much as 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Whoa. Get us these A/Cs, pronto, please. via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Eco-Friendly Living: More Energy-Efficient Air-Conditioning Coming Soon (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671648 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:05:35 +0100 3671648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655740&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FYYQCA2nxyzE%2F You can feel it in the air – it’s almost the weekend. And there are a lot of things we want to get done in the next two days: Get in some personal TLC time. Whether this means having an orgasm (solo or not) or getting a massage, it’s going to be all about us at some point this weekend. Read. The weather is perfect for just sitting outside with an iced tea and getting caught up in a story. An added bonus? Reading will boost our brain power. Sample some fancy cheeses. It’s been a while since we took a trip to the local fromagerie (we took French in college, no big deal) to buy some cheese we can’t afford. But it’s totally worth it, because dairy could reduce our risk of heart disease. Rent a movie. Going to the movies nowadays will set you back quite a ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655740 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:33:56 +0100 3655740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655572&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F10-things-we-want-to-do-this-weekend-4%2F You can feel it in the air – it’s almost the weekend. And there are a lot of things we want to get done in the next two days: Get in some personal TLC time. Whether this means having an orgasm (solo or not) or getting a massage, it’s going to be all about us at some point this weekend. Read. The weather is perfect for just sitting outside with an iced tea and getting caught up in a story. An added bonus? Reading will boost our brain power. Sample some fancy cheeses. It’s been a while since we took a trip to the local fromagerie (we took French in college, no big deal) to buy some cheese we can’t afford. But it’s totally worth it, because dairy could reduce our risk of heart disease. Rent a movie. Going to the movies nowadays will set you back quite a ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655572 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:33:56 +0100 3655572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3618029&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35095&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAutismsEdges%2F%7E3%2FOEKtq4_yJWw%2Fblue-angels.html (Source: Autism's Edges) Autism's Edges blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3618029 Mon, 31 May 2010 15:08:00 +0100 3618029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585773&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FxotG4Uex2RY%2F Photo: Thinkstock We’ve got a lot of good reasons to worry about air pollution: Dirt and chemicals floating around in the air are bad for everything from your lungs and allergies to your skin, hair, and eyes. With all the trucks, cars, and factories emitting smog, CO2, and dirty chemicals, sometimes it just seems safer to stay inside. Well, a new silicon chip developed by researchers might be able to tell you how safe the air outside of your house is. The chip would be embedded in your cellphone, so it wouldn’t be a burden on your daily routine. The chip would alert you if it detected a pollutant, the release of a toxin, or even a gas leak. You’re cell phone could text you if there is a carbon monoxide leak in your house, just like your carbon monoxide detector. Only cool... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585773 Thu, 20 May 2010 21:11:56 +0100 3585773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585573&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fmeasuring-air-quality-with-your-phone-better-than-apps%2F Photo: Thinkstock We’ve got a lot of good reasons to worry about air pollution: Dirt and chemicals floating around in the air are bad for everything from your lungs and allergies to your skin, hair, and eyes. With all the trucks, cars, and factories emitting smog, CO2, and dirty chemicals, sometimes it just seems safer to stay inside. Well, a new silicon chip developed by researchers might be able to tell you how safe the air outside of your house is. The chip would be embedded in your cellphone, so it wouldn’t be a burden on your daily routine. The chip would alert you if it detected a pollutant, the release of a toxin, or even a gas leak. You’re cell phone could text you if there is a carbon monoxide leak in your house, just like your carbon monoxide detector. Only cool... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585573 Thu, 20 May 2010 21:11:56 +0100 3585573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560253&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2Fn56maosOcPE%2Fonly_the_ducks_are_dead.php BP has this great reputation for being an environmentally friendly and responsible company. I know it because their incessant television ads tell me it's true. The ones that flank the national news stories about their horrendous safety record of explosions and worker deaths or their catastrophic oil spills. Those ads. When something happens they start the noise machine and appear to be the innocent party let down by their lessee. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Effect Measure) Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560253 Thu, 13 May 2010 11:52:09 +0100 3560253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560302&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2010%2F05%2F13%2Flearn-how-two-weeks-can-change-a-childs-life%2F The Countdown to Summer 2010 is on and The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families. If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign up now. In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes FOR up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. You can read more on the Fresh Air Fund and how to participate on their website. They are looking for hosts for the summer of 2010. They rely on donations to provide memorable summers to NYC children. Fellow bloggers and facebook or twitter users can download buttons and banners and embed v... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560302 Thu, 13 May 2010 09:14:25 +0100 3560302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515337&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqIPxW_7tQLc%2F By John SamplesEd Morrissey kindly mentioned The Struggle to Limit Government and responds to the advice for Tea Partiers in my video. Morrissey says: I don’t think it’s accurate to say that some Tea Partiers “like” big government; it’s more like some aren’t enthusiastic about dismantling as much of the federal government as others, especially the more doctrinaire libertarians. In the video I noted that polls showed a majority of the people who identify with the Tea Party movement also thought the entitlement programs were worth their cost. My colleague, Jagadeesh Gokhale, has estimated that paying for current entitlements would require 9 percent of GNP in perpetuity. This is unlikely. Entitlements will have to be changed since too much has been promised. People who thi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515337 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:58:36 +0100 3515337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487095&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2FeUV_mUVl-_o%2Fvolcanoes_pandemics_and_crysta.php The Icelandic volcanic eruption is still causing havoc in Europe with ripple effects elsewhere as people and planes are grounded for travel in or out of much of northern Europe. Pressure from the traveling public, air carriers and business is mounting to let passenger and cargo planes fly again. What's changed? Not much. There's about as much uncertainty as there was a week ago, just a lot more pushback. The recriminations are already starting: EU and national transport authorities "over reacted." They should have ... done what? At the same time airlines like Air France-KLM are conducting test flights to see if it's safe to fly planes with the traveling public through dust laden air corridors, and if so, which ones. So it sounds as if neither the authorities nor the airlines know the basel... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487095 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:42:16 +0100 3487095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3483048&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FSRoPcOcGaCw%2F It’s hard to believe that the blanket of white haze is smog, and not fog, in this photo of Los Angeles, originally posted on The Daily Green: Photo: StÃ¥le Veipe/Daily Green Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If … Your City Has This Much Smog (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3483048 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:34:11 +0100 3483048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3483035&cid=t_358659_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FSRoPcOcGaCw%2F It’s hard to believe that the blanket of white haze is smog, and not fog, in this photo of Los Angeles, originally posted on The Daily Green: Photo: StÃ¥le Veipe/Daily Green Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If … Your City Has This Much Smog (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3483035 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:34:11 +0100 3483035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3482871&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-%25e2%2580%25a6-your-city-has-this-much-smog%2F It’s hard to believe that the blanket of white haze is smog, and not fog, in this photo of Los Angeles, originally posted on The Daily Green: Photo: StÃ¥le Veipe/Daily Green Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If … Your City Has This Much Smog (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3482871 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:34:11 +0100 3482871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3457812&cid=t_358659_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fmilitary-surgeon-removes-live-explosive-soldiers-skull%2F An Air Force surgeon donned body armor recently while removing a 2 inch long unexploded ordinance from the skull of an Afghanistan soldier at Bagram Air Force base. A bomb disposal unit was on hand to disarm the explosive after it was removed. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3457812 Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:49:48 +0100 3457812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448840&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfKl5B8C4qYk%2F By Thomas FireyA record-setting heat wave has settled on the Beltway this week, resulting in my thermometer topping the 85°F mark by the time I came into work today. Did I mention my thermometer is inside my apartment? “Oh yuck,” you’re probably thinking. “You should get a place with air conditioning.” But you see, my unit has air conditioning. The problem is that, under Virginia law, it can’t be turned on until May 1. My apartment is in an older building (1958) with a centralized HVAC system. As a result, the whole building must either be in heating mode or cooling mode. One of the quirks of this system is that it takes a couple of days for it to be converted from one mode to the other. That physical reality doesn’t jibe well with Virginia la... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448840 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:38:37 +0100 3448840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443924&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fb-1hmSrwJlo%2F Readeo Celebrates The Month of the Military Child: Readeo, a website offering children’s books online with videochat, is offering six months of free long-distance story time for military kids, in honor of The Month of the Military Child, and to thank families for their service. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443924 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:00:43 +0100 3443924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443661&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F173568%2F Readeo Celebrates The Month of the Military Child: Readeo, a website offering children’s books online with videochat, is offering six months of free long-distance story time for military kids, in honor of The Month of the Military Child, and to thank families for their service. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443661 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:00:43 +0100 3443661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440749&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F173369%2F Seasonal Allergies, or Exhaust in Your Lungs? New study deciphers which types of air pollution worsens allergy, cold and flu symptoms in kids. (via EnvrionmentalHealthNews.org) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440749 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:11:14 +0100 3440749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3435264&cid=t_358659_160_f&fid=36190&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincareblog.org%2Fentry%2Fthe-soothing-effects-of-dry-air-and-exercise-on-irritated-skin%2F If you have been on skiing holidays before, you must have noticed how good the cold, dry air and the exercise are for you. There’s something that’s good about dry air, when it comes to your skin. Bacteria cannot grow in dry air, and most germs are unable to function well if there is not enough moisture in the air. Since it is a fact that skin irritations are almost always caused by bacteria, dry air has a soothing effect on the skin because it stops the growth of bacteria. Exercise, on the other hand, exposes your skin to air and light, and this makes your skin less moist. Again, without moisture, bacteria cannot grow, and hence, your skin irritation goes away. So, exercise and dry air together can be very pleasant with a skin irritation. Dry climate also has another utility. It ... Skin Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3435264 Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:58:25 +0100 3435264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433098&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FPSXO-ybM7rU%2F Our favorite Apartment Therapy posts of the week: House to Drool Over: Johanna’s Greek Revival Rescue DIY Project: Air Plant Chandelier Objects of Desire: IKEA’s Collection of Solar-Powered Lighting The Spring Cure Project: Week 3 – The Landing Strip House Greening: DIY Water Saving Toilet Tank Hack Post from: BlissTree On the Couch with Apartment Therapy (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433098 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:01:39 +0100 3433098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432846&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fon-the-couch-with-apartment-therapy-2%2F Our favorite Apartment Therapy posts of the week: House to Drool Over: Johanna’s Greek Revival Rescue DIY Project: Air Plant Chandelier Objects of Desire: IKEA’s Collection of Solar-Powered Lighting The Spring Cure Project: Week 3 – The Landing Strip House Greening: DIY Water Saving Toilet Tank Hack Post from: BlissTree On the Couch with Apartment Therapy (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432846 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:01:39 +0100 3432846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429228&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F01%2Fproof-positive-signature-strengths-and-the-plumbers-union%2F “I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it.” – Virginia Satir I’m not a handy guy. Nope. Don’t call me if there’s a leak, or a loose electrical doodad. My toolbox consists of a butter knife, a credit card, and a sledgehammer. I have no finesse at all when it comes to mechanical things. I have never even tried to open the hood of my car. If the air conditioning doesn’t work I wait for winter. I have no carpentry skills. If the door to the bathroom rubs on the floor — that’s the way it is going to stay. My favorite Beatles song is “Let it Be.” I hum this as I notice all the things that need repair. After high school I agreed to take the aptitude test for the p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429228 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:17:34 +0100 3429228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3362375&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fdefinition-decoder-green-dry-cleaning%2F photo: Thinkstock In the quest for a greener tomorrow, “eco-friendly” dry cleaning was only a matter of time. According to a Wall Street Journal.com article, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun to phase out the old, tried-and-true method of dry cleaning our clothes. That process didn’t involve water, but instead, a chemical called perchloroethylene, or “PERC,” that violates the Clean Air Act, and, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, contains a probable human carcinogen. These days, you have four ways to dry clean your clothes that are allegedly kinder to the environment. One is “wet-cleaning,” which involves water, a special detergent, and high-tech machinery. The other three are eerily similar to the PERC method: no water,... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3362375 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:57:44 +0100 3362375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3302394&cid=t_358659_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FG0Rq5NgLS-E%2F A report just issued by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has found that “Forty-five percent of Americans – 135 million people — are more than an hour away from primary stroke centers, the facilities that are best equipped to care for them if they are stricken by the condition.” And, less than 25% of Americans can reach stroke care within a half hour. When someone has a stroke (cerebral vascular accident, or CVA), the most vital part of treatment is time. The faster treatment can be given, the higher the chances of a good outcome. If patients are living an hour or more from this care, precious time is lost and many lives can’t be saved. Using information from the United States Census Bureau, the researchers came up with the following statistics: 2... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3302394 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:43:58 +0100 3302394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3269674&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2FQRJPZ3wAYmI%2Frandi-epsteins-get-me-out-making-babies.html As I was driving past the Brazilian Embassy a few days back on Massachusetts Ave in DC, I turned on the radio and heard "So tell me about these do-it-yourself forceps". My interest was instantly piqued. It was Fresh Air on NPR, and Terry Gross was interviewing Randi Epstein about her new book called "Get Me Out: Making Babies Through the Ages". Though the interview was only about 15 minutes long, it gave a very exciting example of what the book would provide, a deep look at technology, politics and sociology behind the history of women conceiving and delivering babies, right up until today's discussion of designer babies. Randi's interview was fascinating and I'm looking forward to grabbing the book! [Editor's note: And read together with our previous post about Why I Love Designer Babies... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269674 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:28:04 +0100 3269674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262645&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F11%2Fthe-fresh-air-fund-needs-host-families%2F Imagine growing up in a city environment where you rarely see a tree, a patch of grass, or a bird. Imagine having nowhere to play a game of baseball or play catch with your dog. Imagine a place where the only thing summer brings is sweltering indoor temperatures, with no vacation or fun outside of playing in the fire-hydrant spray. For many children, this is inner-city life and the only life they know. But the Fresh Air Fund is a non-profit that has been giving free summer experiences to poor children in New York City since 1877. During that time, they’ve helped more than 1.7 million children have a very different kind of summer vacation — a chance to breath some fresh air in a different, less urban environment. In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family program... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262645 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:30:38 +0100 3262645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3204889&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2FXVsgiRFrKFM%2Fozone_from_china.php It used to be my job to teach the environmental health survey course for public health students and air pollution was a topic I spent a lot of time on because it interested me and intersected some of my research work. One of the things I taught my students was that some air pollutants were very local -- carbon monoxide (CO) being a good example; levels of CO on one side of the street could vary significantly from those on the other side by virtue of traffic patterns or street canyon effects -- while others were considered regional pollutants. Ozone (O3) was my example of choice. It isn't emitted by sources by formed as a secondary pollutant via chemical reactions in the atmosphere from chemical precursors like volatile organics and nitrogen oxides (juiced with sunlight) which were emitted ... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3204889 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:42:58 +0100 3204889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126697&cid=t_358659_115_f&fid=34670&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsumerdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fsmall-airway-disease-on-dynamic-hrct.html Small airway disease is manifested by mosaic appearance on inspiratory film with areas of low attenuation and patchy ground glass haze. These low attenuation areas become more prominent on expiration indicating air trapping because of underlying small airway disease. This is a 40 year old female with tuberculosis.From Sumer's Radiology Site http://www.sumerdoc.blogspot.com -The Top Radiology Magazine. Teleradiology Providers at www.teleradproviders.com Mail us at teleradproviders@gmail.com (Source: Sumer's Radiology Site) Sumer's Radiology Site blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126697 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:58:00 +0100 3126697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092826&cid=t_358659_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fhow-dry-i-am-winter-with-sjogrens-syndrome%2F Those good old western movies I watched as a child, or maybe it was the war movies, have left their influence. That old song, usually sung by a drunken sot, “How dry I am, How dry I am, nobody knows, how dry I am.”  Come to think of it, that’s pretty nonsensical because they aren’t dry at all. Now as for me, I know about dry. Even in the midst of winter, the dryness of eyes, mouth and nose extends to many other areas of the body. We inhale cold freezing air and it does its aeration all the way to the lungs. There are so many times that I, like you, just want to say “Bollocks!” to all the precautions. I want to live my life. Isn’t it bad enough I have to do it with pain in my sitter, pain in my knees, pain in my ankles, etc as well as extreme changes in my skin. I slather on ... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092826 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:08:33 +0100 3092826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3084732&cid=t_358659_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F14%2Foccupational-and-environmental-medicine-2009-volume-66-number-12%2F Fade Fave: Traffic particles and occurrence of acute myocardial infarction: a case–control analysis Fade Skinny: Models exposure to traffic particles using a latent variable approach and investigated whether long-term exposure to traffic particles is associated with an increase in the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using data from a population-based coronary disease registry. Provides some support for an association between long-term exposure to traffic particles and risk of AMI. (NHS Athens is required to access this article online) Posted in Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals Tagged: Air Pollution, Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals, Heart Diseases, Myocardial Infarction, Pollution (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3084732 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:00:07 +0100 3084732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056727&cid=t_358659_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fhelp-on-all-india-radio.html You can listen to this audio podcast about HELP on AIR !You can also hear this in Hindi ! (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056727 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:36:00 +0100 3056727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3018976&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIlVEUPpbrfE%2F A computer glitch in the Federal Aviation Administration’s national air traffic control system caused delays and cancelations last Thursday. A spokesperson for the air traffic control employees union called it a “nightmare.” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said the nation’s ATC system is “in shambles” and called for more “resources, manpower, and technology” for the FAA. The FAA is already trying to implement a $35 billion overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system that would replace old-fashioned radar technology with modern satellite-based GPS navigation. As I blogged last month, the FAA tried to deploy the new computer system at the first of twenty regional facilities, but the system misidentified an airliner and was shut down. This failure wasn’t surprising... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3018976 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:45 +0100 3018976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2958821&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4JpnKXs7Q4M%2F Yahoo News is highlighting the story “10 Jobs With High Pay and Minimal Schooling.” Topping the list: air traffic controllers, who work for the federal government. These workers make sure airplanes land and take off safely, and they typically top lists of this nature. The median 50% earned between $86,860-142,210, with good benefits. Air traffic controllers are eligible to retire at age 50 with 20 years of service, or after 25 years at any age. Huge salaries and retirement after 20 years — sweet deal! Air traffic controllers seem to provide a good illustration of my general claim that federal workers are overpaid. I don’t know what the proper pay level for controllers is, but I do know that we should privatize the system, as Canada has, and let the market figure... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2958821 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:53:01 +0100 2958821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954479&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006679.html A study in Vancouver BC finds that very few people live in ideal neighborhoods that feature both high walkability and clean air. A new study compares neighborhoods' walkability (degree of ease for walking) with local levels of air pollution and finds that some neighborhoods might be good for walking, but have poor air quality. Researchers involved in the study include University of Minnesota faculty member Julian Marshall and University of British Columbia faculty Michael Brauer and Lawrence Frank. I find these results to be important reminders on the value of electric vehicles. Cities and suburbs would both become better for our health if more vehicles were battery powered. If we had finer granularity maps of pollution I bet it would... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954479 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2954479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2924774&cid=t_358659_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F25%2Fheart-2009-vol-95-no-21%2F Contents page Fade Fave: Effects of air pollution on the incidence of myocardial infarction Fade Skinny: Systematic review finding some evidence that short-term fluctuations in air pollution affect the risk of Myocardial Infarction. However, further studies are needed to clarify the nature of these effects and identify vulnerable populations and individuals. (NHS Athens is required to access this article online) Posted in Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals Tagged: Air Pollution, Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals, Heart Diseases, Myocardial Infarction (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2924774 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:04:55 +0100 2924774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876117&cid=t_358659_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F_HetwPv1Tko%2F Asthma is a serious illness that makes it difficult to breathe. It can attack anyone at any time (Let’s Talk About…Asthma). If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to experience an asthma attack, take a straw. Close your mouth around it and pinch your nose. Now try taking deep breaths in – and out – through the straw. That may give you a tiny idea of what it’s like. Some places around the world and here in North America are worse than others for people with asthma. Smog and pollution is a number one enemy to an asthmatic. But where is it worse in the United States? The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America compiles an annual list of the top 10 worst cities for asthma, called Allergy Capitals. For 2009, they are: 1.   St. Louis, MO 2.   Milwaukee, WI ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876117 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:29:00 +0100 2876117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2852011&cid=t_358659_135_f&fid=35274&url=http%3A%2F%2Facidrefluxweb.com%2F%3Fp%3D4064 Last night someone must have snuck into my bedroom and given me a Scatter Perm while I was asleep, as it’s been one of those days so far. All is not lost as long as the my plane doesn’t do a crash landing. So far it’s a bit bumpy, and how knows maybe I’ll be able to use a barf bag for the first time. I knew I should have brought my Marinol with me (anti-nausea pills). For some reason I looked at my e-ticket and read my arrival time in Vancouver and thought I was my departure time. When I printed my boarding pass just before the taxi came, I realized that I wasn’t going to make it to the gate in 15 mines. My iPhone wasn’t working and I couldn’t call anyone, even though it was working  when I called the taxi company an hour earlier. A quick settings reset and I was able to dia... acidrefluxweb.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2852011 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:55:09 +0100 2852011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820382&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F09%2F22%2Fi-hope-they-had-the-time-of-their-live%2F THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2009, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year. Related posts:The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners Normally I don’t oblige to questions about linking or... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. (Source:... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820382 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:43:57 +0100 2820382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859066&cid=t_358659_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FOtmPBsw6Zcw%2Fasking-for-help I spent my first month of cancer trying to weasel my way onto COBRA. (Check out the podcast from my interview on yesterday’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, where I talk about this and other young adult cancer issues.) One of my tactics was pulling the cancer card with COBRA phone representatives: “I’m 27, I have cancer and no insurance, pity me.” It was life or death and I was shameless. Pulling the cancer card so early on in my diagnosis initiated me into the world of asking for help from others. And I got pretty good at it. But, most other patients I interviewed in Everything Changes told me that asking for help crushed their pride and amplified their lack of independence. Listening to these other patients, I started feeling guilty over not feeling shameful about asking for help.  ... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859066 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:55:11 +0100 2859066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772684&cid=t_358659_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F07%2Fcanadian-international-air-show-sold-out-all-weekend-many-downtown-residents-unimpressed%2F As Toronto continues to welcome more and more residents to downtown high-rises and neighbourhoods the hazards and inconveniences of the Canadian International Air Show mount exponentially – to which the show responds, trumpeting the economic benefits. Note the sponsors. It is one thing to honour grandfathers and great-grandfathers with fly-pasts of World War II planes, [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772684 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:42:54 +0100 2772684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751905&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006497.html Tip of the day: Roll up your windows before passing thru car tunnels. A toxic cocktail of ultrafine particles is lurking inside road tunnels in concentration levels so high they... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751905 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2751905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2674252&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fthe-air-that-we-breathe%2F Think that the air inside your house is safer to breathe than the air outside ? Better think again. According to this fascinating, yet scary report by WebMD, the air in our houses probably isn’t any better for us than the air out in the community. In particular, they point out that a typical American home has over 500 chemicals floating around in the air. The number is based on a recent study done on indoor airborne contaminants in homes in Arizona.  That’s a huge number of chemicals. But what’s worse, as the WebMD articles points out, is that the scientists were unable to even identify 120 of these chemicals. I don’t know about you, but I find that very concerning. But wait. It get’s worse.  The article goes on to state that babies are at more risk of contamination than adul... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2674252 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:10:50 +0100 2674252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2667774&cid=t_358659_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Fsaving-money-on-cooling-your-home%2F340%2F Dealing with the summer heat can be pretty expensive.  The colder you need to keep your house, the more it costs.  Here are some tips to help you stay cool at home more efficiently. Dress light - Make sure you are wearing cool clothing in your home.  Wearing long sleeves and warm pants is going to force you to keep the temperature colder to stay comfortable.  If dressing in cooler clothes lets you turn the thermostat up even just a single degree, it can still result in significant savings. Take off your shoes - This is related to dressing light, but if your feet are cool, it is much easier to feel cool all over.  A cheap pair of sandals to wear inside can pay for themselves very quickly if they help you feel cooler. Use fans - Most homes don’t distribute air particularly well.... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2667774 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:00:22 +0100 2667774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634534&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=38161&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalheroes.com%2Ffresh-air-fund-help%2F About a week ago I received an e-mail from a Sara at an organization called “The Fresh Air Fund” asking me to spread the word about their cause. While this isn’t what you might expect on a dental blog, what can I say, I’m a sucker for good causes! Who is The Fresh Air Fund A not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps(FreshAir.org). Naturally, not-for-profit organizations such as The Fresh Air Fund rely heavily, if not solely on fundraising and donations. That’s where Dental Heroes readers, and anyone ... Dental Heroes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634534 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:33:58 +0100 2634534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616691&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fhealthbolt-healthy-travel-week%2F I’m off to California tomorrow for three weeks of sun, travel, wine, good food, and great company. But I didn’t want to leave all you Healthbolt reader’s high and dry, so I’ve been doing some pre-posting to keep you informed and entertained while I’m away.     And to start it of, here’s a safety video from Air New Zealand with whom I‘ll be flying with tomorrow. Can you spot what’s different from the usual safety videos? . . Yep, you got it. They are not wearing any clothes. It’s all body paint. Thankfully, it’s just a video and all the real flight personnel on my flight will be wearing real clothes (I hope!) (image source) Post from: Healthbolt (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616691 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:57:29 +0100 2616691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3105031&cid=t_358659_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Fforgive-me-for-not-being-quiet%2F Michael Jackson got a moment of silence in Congress for dying. He sold records, made music, and made people happy. He was an accused child molester. While never convicted, he did settle CIVIL cases out of court (which is all but admitting guilt when it comes to child molestation, am I right?). My cousin Brian was 19 years old. He was killed three days ago in Iraq by what the military has dubbed an “IED.” [Improvised Exploding Device] This is called newspeak, and it’s the government’s way to change the way a word makes us feel (and our response) — it’s propaganda and manipulation of the public to alter our thoughts, perceptions, and maybe even our ideals without us even knowing. They want to make it seem not as bad — not as harsh. Now, read it again... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3105031 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:23:51 +0100 3105031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610959&cid=t_358659_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Fforgive-me-for-not-being-quiet%2F Michael Jackson got a moment of silence in Congress for dying. He sold records, made music, and made people happy. He was an accused child molester. While never convicted, he did settle CIVIL cases out of court (which is all but admitting guilt when it comes to child molestation, am I right?). My cousin Brian was 19 years old. He was killed three days ago in Iraq by what the military has dubbed an “IED.” [Improvised Exploding Device] This is called newspeak, and it’s the government’s way to change the way a word makes us feel (and our response) — it’s propaganda and manipulation of the public to alter our thoughts, perceptions, and maybe even our ideals without us even knowing. They want to make it seem not as bad — not as harsh. Now, read it again... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610959 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:23:51 +0100 2610959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786053&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=38953&url=http%3A%2F%2Frileyjennifer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fmusic-therapy.html There is a lot of research being done recently looking into the therapeutic benefits of music. Much of this research has examined pain and anxiety symptoms but less has been done in the specific context of mental illness(though many registered music therapists are out there).A review done last year showed that while music therapy was well tolerated in depressed patients, had low drop-out rates, and improved symptoms, that the studies under review were of low methodological quality and few in number.A recent study demonstrated improvements in people suffering from depression or psychosis with a dose related effect of music therapy sessions.Another study showed an improvement in quality of life of people suffering from a mental illness, though there was no significant improvement in symptoms... Psych Scamp blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786053 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:08:00 +0100 2786053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510268&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiZiHtrWt_VE%2F Travis Sharp of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation has a good update on the Nukes of Hazard blog about the current congressional politics of the F-22, the air force’s favorite air-to-air fighter. Secretary Gates and the Obama administration, you’ll recall, want to stop buying F-22s. Soon we’ll have bought 187 at $350 million a pop, depending on how you count. With few air forces out there that can rival ours, DoD, sensibly, would rather spend its billions elsewhere. Congress isn’t so sure. The House Armed Services Committee narrowly voted to include $369 million in the FY 2010 defense authorization bill to keep the F-22 production line open. An amendment to strip that money from the bill didn’t make it out of the Rules Committee.  The Senate pr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510268 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:56:15 +0100 2510268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510905&cid=t_358659_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Faviation-radiation-redux.html In May, I reported that Russian scientists at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics in Pushchino and the Institute of High-Energy Physics in Protvino, had investigated the chronic effects of the radiation to which we are exposed every time we fly in high altitude aircraft. They wanted to know if any putative damage to one’s DNA might be passed on to your future offspring. It’s an issue that girds the loins of air crew and other regular flyers alike. At the time, the team simulated the radiation conditions in laboratory tests and reported some rather worrying results. I have now followed up with team leader Alsu Dyukina a few questions that arose. How did you decide on what dose to use in the tests? The dose received by our experimental mice were decided based... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510905 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:28:30 +0100 2510905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511167&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fthe-age-of-innocence%2F You know, I can still remember being very young and how much fun it was. Or at least I think I remember it being fun. I felt safe, lacking stress or pressure, and was interested in what the great outdoors had to reveal. Now, you have to know that I lived in a pretty nice neighborhood, where the family ate dinner together, we all went to church on Sunday, and where it was OK to play in the street, ride your bicycle, climb trees and build forts. If you skinned your knee, the neighbor called your mom, and by the time you got home she had the bandage and tincture of iodine ready. I did my homework, the dishes, and played. Period. Oh, yeah, I had my sports (I rode horses), played golf, figure-skated, bowled, played badminton and croquet, and was on the rifle team. But did I run from activity t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511167 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:10:56 +0100 2511167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473192&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQqViKH4nhqg%2F Last year the Ecuadorian government seized two TV channels broadcasting on public airwaves and one cable channel along with hundreds of other businesses supposedly owned by the Isaías family, an unpopular Ecuadorian business group that the government bailed out in the late nineties. In seizing those assets, the current government claimed to be cashing in on a long overdue debt owed to it by the Isaías family. Leaving the violations of due process aside, this was a significant attack on freedom of the press in Ecuador given that the two public access channels garnered almost half the country’s TV audience. Back then the government said it was going to sell off the seized channels but it has not done so yet. The last elections in my country, held on April 26, showed how government en... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473192 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:59:00 +0100 2473192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464088&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfzQdyydGzdE%2F Congressman Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) has a fairly radical proposal for reforming defense acquisition in Politico. Cooper wants to put the military services’ acquisition staffs under the direct control of the Secretary of Defense. The idea is to liberate the staffs from the parochial perspectives that cause various pathologies in acquisition programs. The oped implicitly blames large and consistent cost overruns in weapons programs on the services’ interests, which manifest in excessive requirements for platforms. For example, the Air Force’s religious attachment to the over-designed and thus wildly expensive F-22 has its origin in a peculiar self-image, one that sees the establishment of air superiority for strategic bombing as the Air Force’s main mission. You can t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464088 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:06:51 +0100 2464088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452457&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fair-france-airbus-330-management-speak.html Part of the joys of being a doctor through twelve years of New Labour government is the endless stream of top-down, micro-managing, egg-sucking twaddle that each day sits momentarily in my in-box before it is diverted to the round green filing cabinet under the desk.I am not scared of flying, not at all, but I must say that the recent tragic loss of the Air France Airbus 330 scheduled flight was a shock. There but for the grace of God! Today, I read the following:Airbus is to send advice on flying in storms to operators of its A330 jets, Le Monde reported today. It would remind crews of the need to maintain adequate thrust from the engines and the correct attitude, or angle of flight, when entering heavy turbulence.The TimesAm I missing something here? Is this another example of top down,... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452457 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0100 2452457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2416854&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fprince-and-pauper.html Why is it that the "great and the (not so) good" openly criticise rule breakers and yet feel that they themselves are not only above the rules but also beyond criticism?Details of Gordon Brown’s recent weekly meeting with the Queen have been leaked.The Queen has told Gordon Brown she is worried that the scandalous revelations about MPs' expenses could damage Parliament. She discussed the explosion of public outrage over the scandal in what is understood to have been a candid exchange of views when she met the Prime Minister for their weekly audience at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.SourceDoes Her Majesty not have any insight? Her income, expenditure and tax liabilities remain swathed in secrecy.  She now, grudgingly, pays some income tax, but let’s not mention inheritance tax. And she ... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2416854 Sun, 17 May 2009 09:19:00 +0100 2416854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398599&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2vaYXbmgKcE%2F We want to talk to the Afghans about corruption.  They want to talk to us about killing civilians. Reports the London Times: Up to 100 civilians, including women and children, are reported to have been killed in Afghanistan in potentially the single deadliest US airstrike since 2001. The news overshadowed a crucial first summit between the Afghan President and Barack Obama in Washington yesterday. President Obama, after White House meetings with President Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistani President, pledged “every effort to avoid civilian casualties” in the war against the extremists. His comments followed the expression of deep regret by Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, during an earlier appearance with Mr Karzai in Washington. News of the airstrike... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398599 Thu, 07 May 2009 12:36:26 +0100 2398599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382579&cid=t_358659_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FOWR97W5O-BM%2F We don’t do this much here in the states, but if you’re in other countries it’s tradition to kiss someone on the cheeks as a form of greeting. (The only people I see do it here are the ones are Real Housewives of New York City. LOL!) “In Mexico, which has had the largest outbreak of the virus, the Ministry of Health is advising people to avoid shaking hands and kissing people as a greeting.” In place of a kiss on the cheek, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is suggesting an “el-bump,” or bumping of elbows. Experts say this trend will continue, with people greeting each other in more cautious ways, until this outbreak is long over. Image: sxc.hu. Post from: Blisstree Do the El-Bump in Place of Air Kiss (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382579 Sat, 02 May 2009 17:28:23 +0100 2382579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2367954&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Ffresh-air-and-planning-ahead.html Please scroll down for SOOCand Smiley SaturdayI'm not that good at thinking ahead, "working" and planning as "Trish." I also lack her "good humour" and "positive approach" especially in the 94 degree heat this week I must say I'm not so much 'looking forward to summer' but already frying. However, I know that most families do try to plan ahead and so I just wanted to mention this thoroughly splendiferous organization called "Fresh Air" which aims to show the 'country life' to those cooped up in the cities and burbs.When I first nipped over "there" to check it out, I must admit that I mis-read the header as 'donate a child,' which for obvious reasons seriously grabbed my attention! Maybe you'd like to volunteer to "host," maybe you'd like to "volunteer" or "spread the word" about this non-p... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367954 Sat, 25 Apr 2009 08:00:00 +0100 2367954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365127&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fdepression-becoming-invisible-to-yourself%2F One thing that strikes me about depression recovery is how people can become invisible to themselves. They don’t matter, they don’t “count,” and they take themselves out of the picture before anything ever happens. I know this both professionally and personally. For myself, I know I just gave all I had to my daughters when I was depressed. I gave what I could as a wife and friend, but I put on my best for the girls. Not only did I think of them first, I just didn’t think about me hardly at all. I thought about my state of being and my misery, but I didn’t really think about ME as a whole significant human being. Granted, it can be tough with a small baby who needs stuff around the clock. The joke about new moms not getting a shower until the afternoon ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365127 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:24:27 +0100 2365127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349069&cid=t_358659_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F24WEO4FpkcE%2F Round-up of recent articles on neuroscience, brain development and cognitive health: Encephalon 68: A carnival of neuroscience: Chris hosts a great collection of neuroscience and psychology posts in his signature Q&A style. Bilingual Babies Get Head Start --- Before They Can Talk: - Unlike the monolingual group, the bilingual group was able to successfully learn a new sound type and use it to predict where each character would pop up. - The bilingual babies' skill applies to more than just switching between languages. Mehler likened this apparently enhanced cognitive ability to a brain selecting "the right tool for the right operation"—also called executive function. - In this basic process, the brain, ever flexible, nimbly switches from one learned response to another as ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349069 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:20:11 +0100 2349069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2256402&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2FFA26HqfwkOw%2Fdc_appeals_court_chokes_on_bus.php I'm sure it will be years before we have cleaned up all the garbage -- literally and figuratively -- from the Bush administration's Environmental "Protection" Agency. The notoriously conservative DC Appeals Court, in a unanimous decision, did its part recently when it declared the Bush EPA's standards for air particulates “contrary to law and unsupported by adequately reasoned decisionmaking." The language doesn't get much stronger than that. Just a few days before the Supremes refused to hear a challenge to a lower court decision striking down Bush EPA mercury standards from coal-fired power plants. That's how you make clean coal. You redefine dirty to mean clean. But it didn't work. But back to the soot standards: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (S... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2256402 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:38:05 +0100 2256402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2207670&cid=t_358659_107_f&fid=38269&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrdonnadouglas.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F23%2Frelief-for-seasonal-allergies%2F                           Allergic rhinitis (often called hay fever) occurs when your immune system overreacts to particles in the air that you breathe—you are allergic to them. Your immune system attacks the particles, causing symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. Chronic sinusitis, which recurs or lasts longer than 12 weeks, can be caused by upper respiratory tract infection, allergies, deviated septum or other anatomical conditions, and fungi.  Symptoms may include trouble breathing through the nose, headache, aching behind the eye area, tenderness in the cheeks, sinus congestion, nasal discharge, or post nasal drip. But you can control these symptoms with medicine and by avoiding the irritants that cause them.  If allergies are left  uncontrolled you... Dr. Donna, MedicineWoman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2207670 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:50:14 +0100 2207670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169815&cid=t_358659_135_f&fid=35274&url=http%3A%2F%2Facidrefluxweb.com%2F%3Fp%3D2565 Live Blogging my Air Canada Ticket purchase. I hate them so much I’m writing my post while I’m put on hold for the fourth time trying to use my credit, and book a flight back to visit my aging soon to be 91-year-old grandmother in Winnipeg. The first asshole could have gotten my information but didn’t want to. The three means he gave to me to get to my credit I didn’t have. My name and a few security verification answers apparently are just makes it too easy for their customers, and we all know they provide company-centred service where the customer comes last. Upon my next call with my flight info from the unused flight, the very nice woman was not able to get my credit information but asked if I had Aeroplan, and with that she could. Well, wouldn’t you know ... acidrefluxweb.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169815 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:18:04 +0100 2169815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2128935&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D5973 strWebsiteID = window.document.location.toString();strSplitWeb = strWebsiteID.split("/")strWebsiteID = strSplitWeb[2];document.write(”“); from the Malaysian Medical Resources VIDEO: Cleaner Air Increases Life Expectancy, Sham Acupuncture Just as Effective as True Acupuncture, School-Based Physical Activity Programs Beneficial (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2128935 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2128935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2026956&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F09%2Fthe-art-of-airbrushing%2F Airbrushing, the process of manipulating a photograph to hide flaws and create a better image, is nothing new. In fact, photo manipulation has been around for a long time. One of the earliest manipulated photos is a famous image of President Lincoln — in reality, a composite of Lincoln’s head on another politician’s body. Politicians always have interfered with images, wielding their power to rewrite history, purge opponents from pictures and promote their own agenda. How funny that today it’s used to make stars flawless, more glamorous, thinner and less like us (i.e., human). Airbrushing has gone from the crude use of the digital wand — with images like that of Oprah in 1989’s TV Guide when her head was fused with another actress’s body (available at the same site as the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2026956 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:19:05 +0100 2026956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980550&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F461134500%2Fa_national_park_with_a_view.php The trouble with National Parks for a city boy like me is too much wilderness. I am only able to stand up on asphalt. So it is comforting to find out the Bush administration is looking out for folks like me, should by some quirk of fate we find ourselves outdoors in a National Park with no Starbucks within blocks. Soon we'll be able to see the soul satisfying outline of a huge coal fired power plant, an oil refinery or some other familiar polluter to make us feel at home. It's just too bad that the EPA's own administrators can't get onboard: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Effect Measure) Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980550 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:02:55 +0100 1980550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980551&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F460711459%2Fdems_dump_dirty_air_dingell.php John Dingell (D-MI), longtime Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has done some good things in his time, but overall he's been a net minus. When Henry Waxman (D-CA) toppled him from his perch today my feeling was an uncharitable, Good Riddance. The vote in the Democratic Party caucus was close but not very close: 137 - 122. Dingell has not been representing the people of his District as much as he has been representing the US Automakers. He he got the sobriquet Dirty Air Dingell the old fashioned way: he earned it: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Effect Measure) Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980551 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:08:09 +0100 1980551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1976541&cid=t_358659_167_f&fid=36988&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.happynutritionistsnuggets.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fhealthy-environment-important-as.html Anyone who spends any amount of time reading about matters related to health realizes by now that, even though the kinds of foods that we eat are tremendously important, so is our environment. I am talking about obvious, but sometimes taken for granted things, like the air we breath, the water we drink, and what we put on our skin.For this post, lets focus on a couple of things that can cause poor air quality in the home. Our home is a lake-front home, and we have a very high water table. It may sound odd to you, but it is not unusual around here to have a basement with some water running through it from one side of the house, with a drain taking it out the other side. It is because the cabins here are former summer homes that have been converted to year-round homes. Some take the time to ... Happy Nutritionist's Nuggets blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1976541 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:09:00 +0100 1976541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1952451&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FOjDW-MiiNZk%2F *** Last Updated November 11, 2008 *** Please see the notes for each branch of the U.S. military. If you have notice of updates to military breastfeeding regulations and policies, please alert me with a comment and I will be happy to keep this information up to date! A military new mother generally receives six weeks of maternity leave starting the day she leaves the hospital. The leave can be extended upon written request along with a physician’s recommendation. Air Force: The Air Force offers four-month deployment deferrals after the birth of a child. On May 23, 2007, Air Force Instruction 44-102 (PDF document) was modified to state: 4.15. Breastfeeding and Breast Pumping 4.15.1. The importance of breastfeeding during the first year of life to infant nutrition and health and to fa... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1952451 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:52:18 +0100 1952451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1888076&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F424554993%2Fbush_epa_sets_new_rules_for_le.php Here's some public health man-bites-dog news. George Bush's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did something right: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Effect Measure) Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1888076 Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:34:45 +0100 1888076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862763&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D4832 a Salmonella Poisoning from Microwaving Uncooked Chicken, Childhood Factors for Victimization, Air Pollution Increases Risk of Appendicitis (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862763 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1862763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825641&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35082&url=http%3A%2F%2Fautism.gbrettmiller.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fmilitary-service%2F This article applies to those who live in the U.S. = = == === ===== If your autistic child is in an inclusion setting in high school, attending as a “regular” student, you will eventually encounter military recruiters. As part of No Child Left Behind, public schools are obligated to provide student information to the local recruiters. A recent story in the Oregonian (excerpted below) shows the problems that can occur. To help prevent this kind of problem, you can take the following steps: Have appropriate documents of diagnosis, treatment, IEPs, etc. for your child If possible, obtain a letter from the school district case manager, pediatrician and others Be proactive, and find out who the local recruiters are, for all services Be even more proactive, find out the chain of co... 29 Marbles blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825641 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:37:32 +0100 1825641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742672&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F378004792%2Fa_new_class_of_air_pollutant.php I used to joke that the only plan the Bush administration had for dealing with air pollution was to put all the free radicals in jail. If you don't know what a free radical is, it is a highly reactive form of a chemical, usually involving an unpaired electron. Radicals often are short lived intermediates in other reactions and can have half lives in the microseconds or less. In any event we're talking seconds. It is free radicals that are formed by ionizing radiation. They quickly react with whatever chemicals are in their vicinity and if that chemical happens to be your genetic material, you can get the kind of programming error that leads to cancer. Now a combustion chemist is reporting a new kind of free radical which he calls a "persistent free radical," almost a chemical oxymoron: R... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742672 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:26:59 +0100 1742672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668427&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D3846 According to a study in the journal Cell, new possibilities are arising for slowing or even reversing the aging process. Researchers from Stanford University studied the aging process in nematode worms and found that genes linked to aging are activated by a biological switch. The researchers speculate that if aging is not only caused by wear and tear on cells but by regulatory genes as well, then theoretically these genes could be switched off. From the UK - According to an editorial in the British Medical Journal, having no more than two children could help combat climate change. The editorial, written by a family planning expert and a GP, notes that consumption of food, water and fuel is beginning to exceed supply, and estimates that each new birth in the UK will result in 160 time... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668427 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1668427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1625484&cid=t_358659_86_f&fid=34468&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrowsing.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fquality-of-indoor-air-and-health.html Is the subject of a review article in CMAJ: http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/179/2/147?etoc (open access! hurrah!). (Source: Browsing) Browsing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1625484 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:21:00 +0100 1625484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1582054&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fengland-is-evil.html Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted that he feels able to express his viewpoint verbally. I’d just prefer it if he could be a little more circumspect, especially whilst we happen to be in England. I’m sympathetic to many of his complaints, that the milkshakes are too small and that weather is too big, but loud mouthed Americans are just to much of a cliché, even for him. Handy travel hint of the day – to ensure that your suitcases are fresh for next year, tuck a tumble drier sheet inside before storage. Take care to assess whether or not tumble drier sheets should be eliminated from your life style, along with the tumble drier to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet. Should you suffer the misfortune of someone vomiting in your suitcase, admit defeat and chuck away the suitca... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1582054 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:29:00 +0100 1582054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1577561&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F05%2Fwarren-on-the-situation-of-credit%2F From the Harvard Law School Website. * * * Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Warren was recently featured on the NPR program “Fresh Air.” During the show, Warren spoke extensively about the intricacies of the credit system, including how lenders, employers, and even cell phone companies are using credit ratings to determine an individual’s purchasing power. Host Terry Gross opened the program by describing how several egregious clerical errors in her husband’s credit report lowered his credit score extensively, and asked Warren how these errors can occur. “It happens because there’s no real check on the system,” Warren said. “Estimates are that about 80 percent of credit reports contain at least one error, and one in four credit reports contain errors big enough to mak... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1577561 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:10:21 +0100 1577561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1544538&cid=t_358659_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F320031080%2F In this study, we examined whether playing strategy-based video game can train those executive functions and improve them. We showed that playing a strategy-based videogame (Rise of Nations Gold Edition) can result in not only becoming a better videogame player but it transferred to untrained executive functions. We saw a significant improvement in task switching, working memory, visual short-term memory, and mental rotation. And some, but more limited, benefits in inhibition and reasoning. I can share a few details on the study: the average age was 69 years, and the experiment required around 23 hours of training time. We only included individuals who had played videogames 0 hours/ week for the last 2 years.   That last criteria is interesting. We typically say that good “brain exercis... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1544538 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:26:56 +0100 1544538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1538298&cid=t_358659_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F318266957%2F The drugmaker agreed to pay the civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its former manufacturing plant in Groton, Connecticut, the same town where Pfizer R&D is headquartered. Why is this noteworthy? The US Department of Justice says the settlement is the first of its type in federal court under PharmaMACT regulations that are supposed to control the emissions of hazardous air pollutants from pharmaceutical manufacturing operations. The violations, which occurred between October 2002 and December 2005, were associated with the production of bulk pharmaceutical materials, and included a failure to properly conduct pressure tests to identify leaks, repair leaks before start-up, equip open-ended lines with a cap or other seal, and document leak tests to establ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1538298 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:02:44 +0100 1538298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1502633&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fhand-luggage-and-teflon.html It takes up a disproportionate amount of time in my working memory:- how to minimize luggage but maximize options? It’s quite selfish really. I have three sets of clothes that I wear all the time, the on, the off and the in the wash. It’s perfect. It’s perfect until we set off for our annual holiday to England.Wear one and pack the other two in a suitcase? No. Wear one and pack the other two in the hand luggage. My suitcase in the hold will be full of other essential items, none of which will be clothes, least of all my own clothes.This is o.k. because I will need all three sets of clothes for the journey. I shall be up and dressed in set number one at about 5 in the morning. I shall then remain immaculate throughout the day until we fly at 7 in the evening. It is essential that I r... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1502633 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:14:00 +0100 1502633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1477836&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F05%2F29%2Fair-america-scandel-where-is-evan-montvel-cohen-answer-arrested-in-guam%2F Flap asked the question back in 2005: Where is Evan Montvel-Cohen and why is Air America and Al Franken not pursuing him referencing Michelle Malkin’s piece, AIR ENRON: AL FRANKEN NEEDS HELP. First, a little refresher course in Evan Cohen and Air America’s rip-off of the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx. Well, the authorities finally caught up with Mr. Cohen and arrested him the other day in Guam. The mystery man behind the looting of a Bronx charity to finance the startup of liberal radio network Air America was arrested yesterday in Guam. Evan Montvel-Cohen was picked up by border-patrol officers at Guam International Airport on an outstanding warrant from Hawaii. He had been indicted there last month for money laundering and the theft of more than $60,000 from ... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1477836 Thu, 29 May 2008 16:03:43 +0100 1477836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423012&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F05%2Fplants-rights-on-air.html My Weekly Standard piece, "The Silent Scream of the Asparagus," on plant "dignity" piece is getting a lot of attention. For those in the Cincinnati area who may care to listen, I will be doing the Bill Cunningham Show on WLW (AM 700) at 9:15 Pacific Time. (Source: Secondhand Smoke) Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423012 Tue, 06 May 2008 15:44:00 +0100 1423012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399589&cid=t_358659_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fbiomonitors.html Keeping a weather eye on atmospheric pollution is a large-scale, costly and time-consuming activity. However, there just happens to be a vast network of self-contained, self-powered units around the globe that can respond to the presence of toxins, radioactive species, atmospheric particulates and other materials in the environment and could be used to build up a local, national or international picture of environmental conditions - the world’s plants, mosses, and lichens. In a forthcoming special issue of the International Journal of Environment and Pollution (2008, Volume 32, Issue 4), researchers from various fields explain how living organisms can be used to track the dispersal of atmospheric pollutants, particulates, and trace elements. They also explain how plants and other so-... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399589 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:54:21 +0100 1399589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1364889&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D6740 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=960Qq3pupa4 Randi Rhodes in San Francisco where she called Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro “Fu***ng Whores Randi Rhodes, suspended last week, has quit Air America and has landed a new gig with Clear Channel because she would NOT apologize for her San Francisco remarks. She’s going to be signing a deal with Nova M Radio in the next few hours for about the same money Air America was paying her. She will broadcast Monday afternoon on all Clear Channel affiliates and several other stations. The folks at Air America don’t miss her one bit… She has moved from New York City to West Palm Beach, FL… They’ve been planning since she was suspended but the deal is solid now… Good luck with advertisers except maybe in San Francisco or Berkeley&#823... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1364889 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:35:50 +0100 1364889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1349468&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D6702 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfdhWi5MILo Randi Rhodes in San Francisco Calls Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton whores Air America suspended talk show host Randi Rhodes for the above remarks where she called former Congresswoman and Democrat Vice President nominee and Senator Hillary Clinton a whore. Randi Rhodes, an afternoon host for the progressive Air America radio network, was suspended Thursday after repeatedly insulting Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at an event last month. Ms. Rhodes used vulgar language that likened Mrs. Clinton to a prostitute at an event sponsored by KKGN, the Air America affiliate in the San Francisco area, on March 22. A video of Ms. Rhodes’ remarks was published to the video-sharing Web site YouTube on Tuesday, prompting condemnations by some bloggers... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1349468 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:54:07 +0100 1349468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1347436&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fwe-have-lift-off.html One of the many delights of living in California, is the weather. The seasonal changes are detectable for those paying attention, but the subject of weather is not a daily topic of conversation as it is in other countries. Some while back, before the boys had been diagnosed, our family was expanding but the house was not. On one particularly blissful day I advised my spouse that if he did not make the spare room cum office habitable, I would make his existence less blissful. He in turn advised me, that nothing on this earth or the next, would ever make the room livable. At this impasse, we made a rash decision, we would find a bigger house to fit our bigger family.We spent many weeks looking at mansions and not at our bank balance. We subsequently decided that we would stay put and extend ... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347436 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:57:00 +0100 1347436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1346126&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fair-hostesses-more-popular-than-pilots.html A fascinating post (Unskilled and unaware of it?) from Mental Nurse on professional perception of personal boundaries of knowledge. Mental nurse comes from the old school of metaphysical analysis. He believes that Dean Swift really did want the Irish to eat their children. He has also been taken in by some beguiling research from men with beards - or possibly from our dear friend Fradd the Destroyer - which shows that airline passengers find the trolley-dollies more approachable and user friendly than those grumpy old pilots.Much more interestingly, he quotes some  analysis of the perception of professional boundaries:The tendency to overestimate our ability in a profession is most noticeable when the profession relies on a degree of expert knowledge. In such professions (such as medicine... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1346126 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:55:00 +0100 1346126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1231995&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F234945875%2Fentrepreneurial_opportunities.html It’s good to be home again. Dr. Robyn McMaster and I just flew in from another electric session with innovative leaders who use hidden brainpower to create solutions that work … against a background of challenges. The trip home was far from innovative or brainy though. It seemed NorthWest hired a craft from matchbox toys … so we were told no carry on bags would be allowed. A small purse squeaked in … but computer bags were fed to this airplane’s belly during flight. Attendants appeared unmoved by the man next to us … who told how his carry on bag was stolen from their fodder a week earlier. Our flight – left late … as paying passengers molded human shapes into sardine sizes to fit shrunken seats.  A plastic cup of water came ju... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1231995 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:52:32 +0100 1231995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1211992&cid=t_358659_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F06%2Fjournal-of-epidemiology-and-community-health-february-2008-622%2F The new issue of Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health is now available online. If you want to access the full text of the journal you’ll need your Athens password from the NHS (at the moment you’ll need one from Cheshire and Merseyside but from April this resource will be available nationally. If you don’t have an Athens password and are eligible you can get one here). Full contents of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2008 62(2) February In this issue Carlos Alvarez-Dardet and John R Ashton, Joint Edit J Epidemiol Community Health 2008; 62: 89. [Extract] [Full text] [PDF] “If you always do…” JRA J Epidemiol Community Health 2008; 62: 90. [Extract] [Full text] [PDF] The s... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1211992 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:11:34 +0100 1211992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191352&cid=t_358659_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F31%2Fis-autism-caused-by-a-vaccine-additive-no%2F Tonight, ABC will air the first episode of a new legal drama called Eli Stone. And what better way to make a drama riveting than to suggest that a debunked theory about the cause of autism is actually true? In the episode, a fictitious vaccine additive called mercuritol acts as a stand-in for the real thing — thimerosal, a preservative commonly used in childhood vaccines before 1999. In that year, the U.S. largely removed thimerosal from the market after concerns arose about the amount of mercury contained in it. High levels of mercury can lead to a wide array of health concerns, especially in infants and children. There has been no proven scientific connection between thimerosal and autism, and since being pulled from the market in the U.S. autism rates have not significantly drop... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191352 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:00:17 +0100 1191352 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177634&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F223144100%2Fa_small_air_pollution_risk_nan.php The particles are smaller but the risks appear to be bigger. We're talking air pollution, here, folks. Not so long ago EPA regulations were on the basis of pretty large partiles, ten microns in size. Then a considerable body of work indicated that much smaller particulate matter, size around 2.5 microns were a much better measure of risk. Like a lot of things, though, as our measurements get better we are finding effects, sometimes big ones, with ever smaller particles. A recent study published in Circulation Research and reported by Bloomberg says that unregulated extremely fine particles, less then 0.2 microns particles not measured at all by most methods, produce serious cardiovascular effects. The work is with animal models but the model used has been quite informative about human heal... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177634 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:00:45 +0100 1177634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1152484&cid=t_358659_132_f&fid=35024&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBlindscientist%2F%7E3%2F217184826%2F Very impressive, thin, light, powerful.. But do they need to called MacBook Air? What a lame-name. (Source: Blind.Scientist) Blind.Scientist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1152484 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:02:05 +0100 1152484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1109877&cid=t_358659_85_f&fid=36194&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftesstermulo.com%2F2007%2F12%2F21%2Fthe-need-for-air-ambulance-services%2F I think, for a country composed of many islands separated by bodies of water and where most technological advances in health care are concentrated in the major cities, the Philippines is one who needs to have setup an efficient air ambulance service like in the U.S., AirAmbulance.net. Usually, an air ambulance service consists of a team of medical specialists in medical flight, with flight paramedics, nurses, respiratory therapists and surgeons, who are all trained in flight physiology.  Air ambulances have the proper life support equipment necessary for taking care of critical care patients (not just an oxygen tank and an ambubag with a face mask like some of the pitiful ambulances we have available courtesy of the barangay halls). And they have a website which provides another way of co... Prudence and Madness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1109877 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:45:24 +0100 1109877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1051199&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5939 Indeed, A Ship of Fools….. H/T: MM Technorati Tags: Air America (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1051199 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:39:49 +0100 1051199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1036848&cid=t_358659_99_f&fid=34593&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FAyaJ%2F%7E3%2F187354084%2Fparticulate_air_pollution_is_l.php Air pollution exists in two physical forms: as a gas (molecules) and as particles (usually heterogeneous agglomerations of huge numbers of molecules stuck together). Particles in the air are also called aerosols. Depending upon their size (really their aerodynamic behavior), their abundance and their composition, they can affect our lungs, vegetation or visibility. They can come from anywhere. Sometimes they are formed "in place" by secondary chemical reactions of precursor pollutants. Photochemical oxidant pollution ("smog") is of this type. Sometimes it is of natural origin and can be transported over huge distances. Dust storms in Asia can wind up as particulates over the US continent. And sometimes they are of local or regional origin, for example, sent up the stacks of power plants. I... Effect Measure blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1036848 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:57:58 +0100 1036848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512238&cid=t_358659_129_f&fid=36041&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fchrista-life-with-psoriasis%2Fdoes-air-conditioning-make-my-psoriasis-worse%2F We travel quite a lot. And living on a small island as we do, that usually involves flying. I’m not sure why but every time we fly my elbows in particular get very sore and extra dry. Now I know this to be the case, and I always use extra moisturizer and or prescription creams prior to flying. What I use and how much/how often depends largely on the state of my skin at the time, but planning a complex trip - or even a simple one - can be quite stressful, and the results are often clear to see. Now I’m not really sure why my elbows should be more affected than the rest of me? I’m not the kind of person who rests her elbows on the between-seat armrests. And no matter where my final destination might be, I always wear long sleeves for travelling. Nonetheless, it is always my... Life with Psoriasis blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512238 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:20:13 +0100 2512238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1009649&cid=t_358659_129_f&fid=36041&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-psoriasis%2Fchrista%2Fdoes-air-conditioning-make-my-psoriasis-worse%2F We travel quite a lot and living on a small island as we do, that usually involves flying. I’m not sure why but every time we fly my elbows in particular get very sore and extra dry. Now I know this to be the case and I always use extra moisturizer and or prescription creams prior to flying. What I use and how much/how often depends largely on the state of my skin at the time, but planning a complex trip – or even a simple one – can be quite stressful and the results are often clear to see. Now I’m not really sure why my elbows should be more affected than the rest of me? I’m not the kind of person who rests her elbows on the between-seat armrests and no matter where my final destination might be, I always wear long sleeves for travelling. Nonetheless it is always my elbows that ... Life with Psoriasis blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1009649 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:20:13 +0100 1009649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=903715&cid=t_358659_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F161202290%2F I know that I have written about something similar to this in the past, but here is new research that offers a non invasive way to analyze blood sugars amongst type 1 diabetics. By using a chemical analysis method developed for air-pollution testing, UC Irvine chemists and pediatricians have found that children with type-1 diabetes exhale significantly higher concentrations of methyl nitrates when they are hyperglycemic. The methyl nitrate exhaled concentrations were found to be at least 10 times higher in diabetic children experiencing hyperglycemia than when they are not. Wow! This is very exciting news indeed for possible non invasive type testing in the future. Wouldn’t that be grand? To test your blood sugar without a single prick… but would it be as precise and accurate? ... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=903715 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:10:36 +0100 903715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=880132&cid=t_358659_82_f&fid=34667&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaryngoscope.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fsad.html I pulled out my bike from the garage yesterday to ride it to the gas station to get some air for the tires... It's about two miles I guess. Anyway, I was recounting this to my girlfriend who seemed glad I was getting some exercise. "Well it took you about 30 minutes... that's not too bad.""Minus stopping for air...""You were that winded?""... Air... for the tires."I must be more out of shape than I thought. (Source: i'm so sleepy) i'm so sleepy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=880132 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:09:00 +0100 880132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=814180&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F21%2Fdiabetic-man-collapes-on-flight%2F Filed under: Type 1, Drugs, Daily NewsA man en route to Sydney, Australia, collapsed mid-flight during a 25-hour trip from Norway to Australia. The man, an engineer whose home is in Sydney, has diabetes and was prevented from bringing his medical supplies on board the plane. Can you believe it? It was all due to new airline security rules requiring that people with diabetes carry documentation along with their medications. The passenger arrived at the airport with a supply of insulin, but was forced to leave it behind because he did not have the required letter from his doctor. He was very sick on arrival in Sydney and had to be rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Don't risk your life to get from A to B. That's the moral of this story. Okay, maybe the security rules go a bit overboard. Yes... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=814180 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 814180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=805908&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F17%2Fafrican-americans-suffering-from-substandard-housing%2F Filed under: Type 2, Lifestyle, ResearchA study just out links high rates of diabetes to African Americans who lived in substandard housing. Sigh. Doesn't that seem rather obvious? Does it really require a big study to confirm it?? Well, anyway, here's the scoop: researchers collected data on 998 African American men and women born in St. Louis between 1936 and 1950. They looked at all the risk factors for those individuals - factors that could contribute to ill health. Examples of risk factors include access to medical care and quality of neighborhoods (including such things as air quality, condition of yards and sidewalks, and proximity to industrial sites and traffic noise.)The conclusion? Those whose housing conditions were ranked as only fair or poor were at increased risk for type 2 ... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=805908 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 805908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=795184&cid=t_358659_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnight-sky.html once.a night sky.held the meaning.of.you.and.i.now.i know.the meaning of.the sky.it is me. once.was.i. I once was the meaning of the night sky. I was once the meaning of the night sky.I am the night sky.I am.just the sky.~stephany, who is she.night sky (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=795184 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:05:00 +0100 795184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=788141&cid=t_358659_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F8%2F8%2Fnetwork-medicine-a-fascinating-development.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DIn my previous posting I reviewed a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine which showed that obesity can spread among friends and family just like any infectious disease. But unlike infectious diseases, physical proximity did not count for much: obesity did not spread among neighbors. It did spread among family members, regardless of geographical location. The strongest influence on the spread of obesity was friendship, in particular mutual friendship. This was a totally unexpected finding. The paper had some unavoidable flaws. For instance, in assessing the effect of friendship, the investigators had data on an average of 0.7 “contacts” (or friends) per case. This hardly gives a complete picture of the social network of the average perso... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=788141 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:08:33 +0100 788141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=761489&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F27%2Fwhy-being-an-athlete-isnt-as-healthy-as-it-used-to-be%2F Filed under: ExercisePhysical activity is great for your health, and although it's no guarantee against heart disease and cardiovascular issues it is a pretty big deterrent and can definitely swing the odds in your favor. But being an athlete isn't as healthy as it used to be years ago, now that air pollution levels and smog have risen so much in urban and highly populated areas. Athletes breathe in more air than the average sedentary person, and those chemicals and pollutants can build up their bodies and cause problems in the heart and lungs.Suggestions on limiting the damage caused by poor air quality include doing what you can to avoid working out in high traffic areas and staying indoors altogether when the air quality is bad. You can usually get air quality readings on the website fo... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=761489 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 761489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687683&cid=t_358659_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5157 Journalists dole out cash to politicians (quietly) MSNBC.com identified 144 journalists who made political contributions from 2004 through the start of the 2008 campaign, according to the public records of the Federal Election Commission. Most of the newsroom checkbooks leaned to the left: 125 journalists gave to Democrats and liberal causes. Only 17 gave to Republicans. [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687683 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:45:05 +0100 687683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=651201&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F120873070%2F How children move around in space—their “spatial behavior”—changes based on who they are with (in particular, their parents), where they are, and what they are doing: This conclusion from research conducted jointly by different departments at University College London might seem a bit more than obvious at first. For some parents of autistic children, though, this finding from a project called “Children’s Activities, Perception and Behaviour in the Local Environment” (CAPABLE) may be of particular interest: My son Charlie responds in varying ways to the spaces he is in. He smiles when I say we are going to somewhere like Target but, once inside such “big box” stores—also Toys ‘R’ Us or Best Buy (not his favorite, and visite... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=651201 Wed, 30 May 2007 19:55:15 +0100 651201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612150&cid=t_358659_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fwe-liberals-feel-your-pain-neil.html Cue the tiny violins...Media Matters - Boortz accuses Media Matters of trying to manipulate "some whimpering old woman executive somewhere": "On the May 14 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, host Neal Boortz accused Media Matters for America -- which he referred to as 'Media Myrmidons' and 'Brocksters,' a reference to Media Matters President and CEO David Brock -- of 'waiting for one little statement that you can take out of its total context and just go on a rampage with, with your Web postings and see if you can pull that Don Imus thing off all over again, see if you can find some whimpering old woman executive somewhere that'll just [say], 'Oh! Oh, my God! We've got to do something now.' ' Boortz also said, 'And it's not just me, you're doing the same thing to [right-win... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612150 Mon, 14 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 612150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=506832&cid=t_358659_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F28%2Fpop-quiz-how-health-savvy-are-you%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Environment, Diets, Exercise, Vitamins and nutrients, MagazinesTime to test your smarts -- about sleep, sun, food, and alcohol. Just read the following questions, pick an option and then scroll down to determine if you really know what's best for your health. Is it healthier to sleep an extra hour or force yourself out of bed in the morning to exercise? Is it healthier to spend 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen or two hours in the sun wearing SPF 30? Is it better to have a second glass of wine at dinner or a sinful dessert? Is it healthier to sleep an extra hour or force yourself out of bed in the morning to exercise?It's healthier to get out of bed and exercise. Research shows a full eight hours of sleep -- often touted as the necessary amount of... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=506832 Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 506832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=461135&cid=t_358659_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F2%2F28%2Fmore-on-our-local-living-environments-and-fitness-or-lack-thereof.html I am in Houston. This is not to point a finger at Houston, but merely to point out how our environment is anti-fit and pro-fat. Be prepared. This is a rant, but I will be brief. I am staying at a very nice Hyatt Hotel. I am on the second floor. I can’t find the stairs to walk up and down between the ground level and my room. Why? Because there aren’t any...at least that is what the woman at the reception desk tells me. She says, “There aren’t any stairs for guests, but the elevators are safe in the case of an emergency.” She looked astonished when I explain that my question is a health question, not a safety question. Apparently, she hasn’t had a lot of guests asking how they can walk up and down the stairs to get from point A to point B. While I am on t... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=461135 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:18:20 +0100 461135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=461141&cid=t_358659_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F2%2F20%2Fmy-space-on-united-airlines-is-really-really-bad-and-i-am-really-really-mad.html I’m writing this post at 37,000 feet. I am in United Airlines Flight 95, Seat 20A, an aisle seat in the back of the plane. I hate aisles. I hate the back of the plane. I hate United Airlines. I am not in a good mood.Seat 20 A. This is My Space for the next 6 hours. It is the “space” I purchased from United Airlines (UAL) to transport my body from glorious New York City via Newark back to my home near San Francisco. My Space is about 16 inches wide, armrest-to-armrest. My knees are touching the seat in front of me even though I am only 5 feet 3-1/5 inches tall. The back of my forward neighbor’s seat touches my forehead if I lean forward a bit. So, I have cranked my seat “all the way back.” Now, my seat bumps my backward neighbor when he leans forward... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=461141 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 20:04:04 +0100 461141