Recently, I mentioned to my confused therapist my full blown addiction to Grand Rounds . He had no idea what I was talking about, hence his confusion. Feeling on a roll I brought up all three new addictions; medgadget, medical blogs, and men with hair. For a moment I thought we should examine the excitement I experienced at finding an Elf @ Grand Rounds, but I thought not. Oh, the Elf ? I guess if you aren't on Facebook or Twitter you may not know " Elf Selena ". 
Selena was published on this weeks Grand Rounds . Oh, Grand Rounds? Well, its a weekly summary of the best health/medical blog posts on the Internet. Each week a different blogger takes turns hosting Grand Rounds, and summarizing the best submissions for the week.
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Check out Selena folks , followed by a few other submissions.
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Resolved: Deal with the stigma of chronic illness. .
Selena at Oh My Aches and Pains! has a few resolutions, one of which Editrix Jenni can most relate to: dealing with the stigma of living with invisible illness like fibromyalgia. People, we know you can't see it, but it's so real. We promise..
Editrix Jenni Prokopy is proud to present Vol. 7, No. 13 of Grand Rounds, the last edition of 2010, chock full of fun and compelling new year's health care resolutions. Enjoy!
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What's Your Health Care Resolution for 2011?.
Resolved: Get over yourself.
Annie Martin at It's Time to Get Over How Fragile You Are is ambitious! She offers a list of 11 habits she resolves to break in 2011, including the Editrix's favorite: "feeling guilty about my emotions." You're right, girl! It's OK to be pissed about being sick. Get pissed, feel it, then move past it and get going again. Best thing for you. The Editrix will give that one her best shot, too.
Resolved: Be happy.
Will Meek, PhD offers a guide to what science can tell us about increasing (and sustaining) overall happiness in the new year. Your humble Editrix confesses she has a little blogger crush on Will, especially when he explains that those who struggle with the idea of striving with happiness are not hopeless...and there's that cute beard...
Will Meek, PhD offers a guide to what science can tell us about increasing (and sustaining) overall happiness in the new year. Your humble Editrix confesses she has a little blogger crush on Will, especially when he explains that those who struggle with the idea of striving with happiness are not hopeless...and there's that cute beard...
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Resolved: Stay healthy no matter what health care reform brings.
InsureBlog is not loving health care reform. Oh my, they are very very upset about some statistics about medication cost hikes at children's hospitals and the potential loss of a major pool of doctors that they attribute to ObamaCare. Editrix Jenni has a sad
InsureBlog is not loving health care reform. Oh my, they are very very upset about some statistics about medication cost hikes at children's hospitals and the potential loss of a major pool of doctors that they attribute to ObamaCare. Editrix Jenni has a sad
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Now For The News
Updated and Redesigned December 22, 2010
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Harm Reduction Moving Mainstream
Now that the US allows federal funds for needle exchanges, Vancouver's drug user health approach sets a bold example.
Now that the US allows federal funds for needle exchanges, Vancouver's drug user health approach sets a bold example.
Vicus Therapeutics Announces Initiation of Phase 2 Trial to Evaluate VT-122 in Patients with Liver Cancer Receiving Nexavar
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Dec. 27, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Vicus Therapeutics, LLC, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 trial evaluating VT-122, a novel investigational combination of etodolac and propranolol, and Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets, as a potential new treatment option for patients with advanced liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), systemic inflammation and cachexia.
The randomized, open label, multi-center Phase 2 study will evaluate whether VT-122 in combination with Nexavar increases "Clinical Benefit Response," which is a composite measurement of pain, performance status, and lean body mass, as compared to Nexavar alone. The secondary efficacy endpoints of this study are cancer and cachexia specific symptoms, duration of Nexavar therapy and overall survival.
Continue reading.....
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Dec. 27, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Vicus Therapeutics, LLC, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 trial evaluating VT-122, a novel investigational combination of etodolac and propranolol, and Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets, as a potential new treatment option for patients with advanced liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), systemic inflammation and cachexia.
The randomized, open label, multi-center Phase 2 study will evaluate whether VT-122 in combination with Nexavar increases "Clinical Benefit Response," which is a composite measurement of pain, performance status, and lean body mass, as compared to Nexavar alone. The secondary efficacy endpoints of this study are cancer and cachexia specific symptoms, duration of Nexavar therapy and overall survival.
Continue reading.....
Prediction of Significant Liver Fibrosis in Kidney Transplant Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: The TX-3 Index
What tools and tests exist to assess the stage of liver fibrosis in kidney transplant patients with chronic hepatitis C?
Journal of Viral Hepatitis, December 2010
Journal of Viral Hepatitis, December 2010
Navigated Liver Surgery, Fraunhofer MEVIS And The University Of Bern Cooperate With The Leading Liver Center In Shanghai
24 December 2010Today, challenging liver surgery is frequently planned and optimized with regard to associated risks with the support of a computer. Based on radiological image data, the liver vessels and tumors are analyzed to produce a...
24 December 2010Today, challenging liver surgery is frequently planned and optimized with regard to associated risks with the support of a computer. Based on radiological image data, the liver vessels and tumors are analyzed to produce a...
UF Hepatologists Test Chemotherapy Pill In Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer, Cirrhosis
23 December 2010Hepatologists at the University of Florida have begun a new clinical trial in search of a better way to treat patients who have advanced, inoperable primary liver cancer but have trouble tolerating standard doses of the...
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12/21/2010
TopAbstracts™ in Hepatitis C are the abstracts most highly rated/most read by nearly 300,000 physicians who received a Doctor's Guide™ newsletter or visited a website Powered by Doctor's Guide™ in the past 14 days. Over 2000 peer-reviewed journals are covered by TopAbstracts.
TopAbstracts™ in Hepatitis C are the abstracts most highly rated/most read by nearly 300,000 physicians who received a Doctor's Guide™ newsletter or visited a website Powered by Doctor's Guide™ in the past 14 days. Over 2000 peer-reviewed journals are covered by TopAbstracts.
- (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol)
Quantification of hepatitis C virus in patients treated with peginterferon-alfa 2a plus ribavirin treatment by COBAS TaqMan HCV test
Quantification of hepatitis C virus in patients treated with peginterferon-alfa 2a plus ribavirin treatment by COBAS TaqMan HCV test
- (J Viral Hepat)
Pre-treatment prediction of response to pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C using genetic polymorphism in IL28B and viral factors
Pre-treatment prediction of response to pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C using genetic polymorphism in IL28B and viral factors
- (J Hepatol)
New possibilities on the horizon for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: directly acting antiviral therapy
New possibilities on the horizon for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: directly acting antiviral therapy
- (Orv Hetil)
A comparison of the natural history and outcome of treatment for Asian and non-Asian hepatitis C-infected patients
A comparison of the natural history and outcome of treatment for Asian and non-Asian hepatitis C-infected patients
- (J Viral Hepat)
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Potential new treatments for hepatitis B and tuberculosis
A researcher and his team with the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry have discovered a new class of drugs that could one day be used to treat people with hepatitis B. They have also made a similar discovery for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Working with cultures in his lab, Rakesh Kumar and his colleagues have discovered a new class of drugs for hepatitis B that does three important things: it is effective against the normal strain of the hepatitis B virus, it is effective against the drug-resistant strain and it isn't toxic to healthy cells. He says no one else in the world has identified this class of drugs. These new drugs could be used in combination with other hepatitis B drugs on the market – at the same time, by themselves or one after the other.
Right now, four drugs are used to treat hepatitis B. Some of these treatments trigger drug-resistant strains of the virus in a large number of cases. When the treatment is halted for any reason, it can result in more severe hepatitis B infection. Some of these current treatments are also toxic to patients.
Continue reading.........
India: City becoming the new hub of medical tourism
Amrita Didyala
HYDERABAD: The city famous for its pearls and the Charminar seems to be gaining fame for medical facilities too, with medical tourists flocking to Hyderabad. In what can be called a trend reversal, people from all over the world are making their way to Hyderabad, which has become the new medical hub. A main reason for this, hospital authorities believe is the return of many highly skilled surgeons to the city after studying and practicing medicine abroad. This adds to the brand value of the hospitals.
The other reason is the cost effectiveness of treatments offered. Most estimates claim that medical treatment in India costs just a tenth of what they cost in the US or UK.
Continue reading.......
A researcher and his team with the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry have discovered a new class of drugs that could one day be used to treat people with hepatitis B. They have also made a similar discovery for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Working with cultures in his lab, Rakesh Kumar and his colleagues have discovered a new class of drugs for hepatitis B that does three important things: it is effective against the normal strain of the hepatitis B virus, it is effective against the drug-resistant strain and it isn't toxic to healthy cells. He says no one else in the world has identified this class of drugs. These new drugs could be used in combination with other hepatitis B drugs on the market – at the same time, by themselves or one after the other.
Right now, four drugs are used to treat hepatitis B. Some of these treatments trigger drug-resistant strains of the virus in a large number of cases. When the treatment is halted for any reason, it can result in more severe hepatitis B infection. Some of these current treatments are also toxic to patients.
Continue reading.........
India: City becoming the new hub of medical tourism
Amrita Didyala
HYDERABAD: The city famous for its pearls and the Charminar seems to be gaining fame for medical facilities too, with medical tourists flocking to Hyderabad. In what can be called a trend reversal, people from all over the world are making their way to Hyderabad, which has become the new medical hub. A main reason for this, hospital authorities believe is the return of many highly skilled surgeons to the city after studying and practicing medicine abroad. This adds to the brand value of the hospitals.
The other reason is the cost effectiveness of treatments offered. Most estimates claim that medical treatment in India costs just a tenth of what they cost in the US or UK.
Continue reading.......
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Illuminating Shellfish That Aren't Safe To Eat
Red tides and similar blooms can render some seafood unsafe to eat, though it can be difficult to tell whether a particular batch harbors toxins that cause food poisoning. A new kind of marker developed by chemists at the University of California, San Diego, and reported in the journal ChemComm makes it easier to see if shellfish are filled with toxin-producing organisms. Mussels and oysters accumulate single-celled marine creatures called dinoflagellates in their digestive systems as they filter seawater for food. Usually dinoflagellates are harmless, but sometimes they produce dangerous toxins. The trick is figuring out when.
,Placebo Effect Is Real, Not Attempt to Deceive
12/22/2010The placebo effect works -- even when the patient knows it's a placebo -- demonstrating that it is a 'ritual of medicine' and not an attempt to fool patients, according to the results of a small randomized clinical trial
Continue reading.......
In the laboratory, rats are upstaging mice
The larger rodents are more like people than the smaller ones — with bigger brains, for one thing rats can get more mental illnesses than mice. They metabolize drugs more like people do. Their heartbeats are more like ours. Yet since 1989, mice — not rats — have been the lab animal of choice, because it wasn’t possible to manipulate the rat’s genome.
Scientific advances over the last three years have now made it feasible to easily tinker with rat genes, creating the possibility of far better models of certain human diseases, and potentially shortening the time it takes to develop medications.
Continue reading..
Continue reading.......
In the laboratory, rats are upstaging mice
The larger rodents are more like people than the smaller ones — with bigger brains, for one thing rats can get more mental illnesses than mice. They metabolize drugs more like people do. Their heartbeats are more like ours. Yet since 1989, mice — not rats — have been the lab animal of choice, because it wasn’t possible to manipulate the rat’s genome.
Scientific advances over the last three years have now made it feasible to easily tinker with rat genes, creating the possibility of far better models of certain human diseases, and potentially shortening the time it takes to develop medications.
Continue reading..
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U.S. Hospitals Facing Largest Drug Shortage in Decades
Many hospital patients are not getting potentially life-saving treatments because of what may be the largest U.S. hospital drug shortage in more than 20 years. Most of the drugs in short supply are injectables, including sedating agents such as propofol (Diprivan), the popular blood thinner heparin, and hard-hitting chemotherapy drugs like doxorubicin (Adriamycin)."I've been in practice more than 30 years and this is the first time I've encountered shortages that may affect patient care," said Dr. Michael Link, president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Flu Causes Cancellation of Cancer Operations
Many hospitals are being forced to cancel vital cancer operations while they battle to deal with escalating numbers of flu sufferers.
NHS trusts have started to postpone major surgery since beds in intensive care units that are required for for post-operative recovery are currently held for critically ill influenza victims.
Experts are now worried that the UK is on course for a flu epidemic – the first for more than 10 years – following the number of instances more than doubling during the past week. There are currently 460 flu patients in intensive care – compared to 182 last week.
Influenza experts point out that cases of flu are climbing more rapidly than in December 1999, which saw the beginning of an epidemic in which more than 22,000 people died. Professor John Oxford, flu expert, says the situation is deteriorating and stated that it would be no surprise if we have epidemic levels inside 1 week. The majority of patients are suffering from swine flu and this is especially dangerous for children, expectant mothers and people with conditions like asthma.
Dr Bob Winter, of the Intensive Care Society, revealed that in order to preserve beds in intensive care units, hospitals have started putting off elective surgery – such as cancer surgery – that requires the patient to be on a ventilator to aid recovery. Especially hit are people requiring oesophagectomies, as individuals who have this particular operation then need to be on a ventilator within an intensive care unit.
Just as with all cancers, it is essential that this procedure is carried out as quickly as possible before tumours can spread to the lungs and liver, as when it reaches this point the disease becomes incurable.
Many hospitals are being forced to cancel vital cancer operations while they battle to deal with escalating numbers of flu sufferers.
NHS trusts have started to postpone major surgery since beds in intensive care units that are required for for post-operative recovery are currently held for critically ill influenza victims.
Experts are now worried that the UK is on course for a flu epidemic – the first for more than 10 years – following the number of instances more than doubling during the past week. There are currently 460 flu patients in intensive care – compared to 182 last week.
Influenza experts point out that cases of flu are climbing more rapidly than in December 1999, which saw the beginning of an epidemic in which more than 22,000 people died. Professor John Oxford, flu expert, says the situation is deteriorating and stated that it would be no surprise if we have epidemic levels inside 1 week. The majority of patients are suffering from swine flu and this is especially dangerous for children, expectant mothers and people with conditions like asthma.
Dr Bob Winter, of the Intensive Care Society, revealed that in order to preserve beds in intensive care units, hospitals have started putting off elective surgery – such as cancer surgery – that requires the patient to be on a ventilator to aid recovery. Especially hit are people requiring oesophagectomies, as individuals who have this particular operation then need to be on a ventilator within an intensive care unit.
Just as with all cancers, it is essential that this procedure is carried out as quickly as possible before tumours can spread to the lungs and liver, as when it reaches this point the disease becomes incurable.
FDA Recalled
December 27, 2010 - FDA: Don’t Eat Tiny Greens Brand Alfalfa Sprouts or Spicy Sprouts
December 24, 2010 - FDA: Rolf’s Patisserie recalling all desserts made after November 1
December 22, 2010 - FDA: Gardasil approved to prevent anal cancer
December 22, 2010 - FDA announces recall of Abbott glucose test strips
December 17, 2010 - FDA: Consumers should not eat Sally Jackson cheese due to risk of Escherichia coli O157:H7
Ohmigosh! I just found this and I couldn't stop laughing! I can't believe you wrote about me and my holiday elf pic that I use on Facebook and Twitter. Are you making fun of me??? After all, who ever heard of an elf with Hep C, right? LOL!
ReplyDeleteHi Selena,
ReplyDeleteLoved your blog from the start, I found you years ago HAA. I think you're the most generous blogger on the net. Even if you are really an Elf. I hope you enjoy the upcoming holidays my friend. Tina