Earwax Sampling Device for Easy Cortisol Measurement
Researchers at University College London and King’s College London have developed a device that allows for easy earwax sampling, with the goal that the wax could be a convenient and reliable way to measure cortisol levels. The device can be used by a patient at home to obtain a sample of earwax and is less invasive and unpleasant than existing methods, such as syringing.
Cortisol levels change in patients with conditions such as depression, Addison’s disease, and Cushing syndrome, and so measuring someone’s cortisol levels could be useful in diagnosing and monitoring these diseases. However, cortisol level...
Source: Medgadget - November 5, 2020 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: ENT Medicine Psychiatry Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, April 15th 2019
In this study, we found that senescent chondrocytes isolated from OA patients secrete more EVs compared with nonsenescent chondrocytes. These EVs inhibit cartilage ECM deposition by healthy chondrocytes and can induce a senescent state in nearby cells. We profiled the miR and protein content of EVs isolated from the synovial fluid of OA joints from mice with SnCs. After treatment with a molecule to remove SnCs, termed a senolytic, the composition of EV-associated miR and protein was markedly altered. The senolytic reduced OA development and enhanced chondrogenesis, and these were attributable to several specific differenti...
Source: Fight Aging! - April 14, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Calorie Restriction Reduces Inflammation via Moderate Hyperadrenocorticism
The metabolic response to calorie restriction, a sustained reduction in calorie intake while maintaining optimal micronutrient intake, is sweeping and complex. It also extends life span quite dramatically in short-lived species. Near everything changes, which makes it a challenge to characterize the few important mechanisms early in the chain of cause and effect. It also makes it a very fruitful area of study from the pure science perspective, as there is always something new to be discovered, as illustrated by the research results reported here.
While calorie restriction itself is widely studied, and a good lifesty...
Source: Fight Aging! - April 11, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 40-year-old woman with amenorrhea
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 40-year-old woman is evaluated for amenorrhea of 4 months’ duration. She has had weight gain, facial hair, alopecia, and debilitating fatigue. Her medical history is significant for psoriasis. She seems to be gaining weight in her face, abdomen, and neck. She also bruises easily. Her only medication is clobetasol for psoriasis.
On physical examination, temperature is 37.6 °C (99.7 °F), blood pressure is 148/90 mm Hg, pulse rate is 88/min, and respiration rate is 12/min. BMI is 38. She is obese with a r...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - November 25, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Endocrinology OB/GYN Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 64-year-old woman with an incidental pituitary adenoma
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 64-year-old woman is seen for follow-up evaluation. Two weeks ago, she was in a car accident, and an incidental pituitary adenoma was found on a cervical spine CT scan. She has no residual injuries from the car accident.
She is otherwise healthy and takes no medications. She went through menopause at age 51. She has night sweats two to three times per month and occasional hot flushes. These have improved over the past decade and are not bothersome. She is not sexually active. She has never taken hormone replac...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 17, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
Alkalotics Anonymous
A 50-year-old man with a past medical history of alcoholism presented to the ED with altered mental status, nausea, and vomiting. He is arousable but a poor historian. His girlfriend said he drinks a half-gallon of rum daily, and had his last drink two days earlier. She reported that he started to feel nauseous, vomit, and go through alcohol withdrawal. She said he also has been taking a lot of calcium carbonate for an upset stomach, but she was unable to say exactly how much. His blood pressure was 146/70 mm Hg, heart rate was 110 bpm, respiratory rate was 14 bpm, PO2 was 96% on room air, and blood glucos...
Source: The Tox Cave - February 1, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
A Fisherman’s Friend… or Foe?
aka Toxicology Conundrum 052
A 64 year-old male was brought in after a collapse at home. He had been sitting on the couch with his wife when she noticed that he had gone limp and was not breathing. Bystander CPR was performed for 15 minutes until ambulance crews arrived. He received 2x DC 200J shock for ventricular fibrillation, after which he had a return of spontaneous circulation, with HR 80 sinus rhythm, BP 90/60 and GCS 3. In the Emergency department he received 300mg Amiodarone, and cooling was commenced as per out of hospital cardiac arrest protocol at that time. He had a further episode of VF arrest soon after ar...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - March 5, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Kylie McNamara Tags: Clinical Case Emergency Medicine Featured Intensive Care Toxicology Toxicology Quiz cardiac arrest ECG Glycyrrhizic acidm hypokalemia laboratory results licorice liquorice Source Type: blogs
A sad old dog
Mrs Grumble's dog is getting old. It's sad when your dog gets old. She has begun to get those sorts of terrible things old people get. One of the worst is wetting the carpet. She never used to do this. She's also been panting a lot. It's a different sort of panting from usual - almost a breathlessness. She climbed the stairs yesterday and was gasping at the top. Another curious thing is that she has been drinking a lot - vast quantities. Yes, Dr Grumble thought of diabetes. Mrs Grumble managed to catch some urine and there was no glucose. Even odder she has become ravenously hungry and has begun stealing food. She never us...
Source: Dr Grumble - February 14, 2013 Category: Internists and Doctors of Medicine Source Type: blogs
