Case of the Week 456
This week ' s case was generously donated by Idzi Potters from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. The following were seen in a liquid culture of a skin biopsy using Tobie Sang Lapin (TSL) medium (Phase contrast, x1000 magnification). The specimen was first ground in a dounce tissue grinder. Diagnosis?What are these structures?Check out their classic motility here: (Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites)
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - August 17, 2017 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Ticks and the changing landscape of tick-borne illnesses
Ticks and the diseases they carry have long been recognized as health concerns, especially in the warmer months when ticks (and humans) are more active. Ticks wait on grass tips or shrubs to latch onto new hosts when they brush by. Most of the hosts are animals, but a few tick species do bite and feed on humans. While doing so, they can transmit bacteria and viruses through their saliva.
But here’s what’s changing:
Tick species are being found in a wider geographic range.
The number of case reports of tick-borne illnesses is increasing.
Scientists continue to identify new pathogens (bacteria and viruses that cause dis...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - August 11, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Wynne Armand, MD Tags: Health Infectious diseases Prevention Safety Travel health Source Type: blogs
Ticks and the changing landscape of tick borne illnesses
Ticks and the diseases they carry have long been recognized as health concerns, especially in the warmer months when ticks (and humans) are more active. Ticks wait on grass tips or shrubs to latch onto new hosts when they brush by. Most of the hosts are animals, but a few tick species do bite and feed on humans. While doing so, they can transmit bacteria and viruses through their saliva.
But here’s what’s changing:
Tick species are being found in a wider geographic range.
The number of case reports of tick-borne illnesses is increasing.
Scientists continue to identify new pathogens (bacteria and viruses that cause dis...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - August 11, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Wynne Armand, MD Tags: Health Infectious diseases Prevention Safety Travel health Source Type: blogs
Jellybean 069 Oliver May versus the world
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
Fraud and Counter-Fraud. NGO’s like Oxfam are now a huge part of the international healthcare system. When you look at the environments these organisations work in, from Oxford to South Sudan, there are corruption issues everywhere. Corruption! We need a cop, a super cop, a stylish sleuth, a sort of crime-buster for NGO’s. It’s @OliverBMay of @2ndMarshmallow
Have you have ever had a dream of going and working for Médecins Sans Frontières or something similar? I di...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - July 25, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Doug Lynch Tags: JellyBean corruption Médecins Sans Frontières NGO Oliver May oxfam Second Marshmallow Source Type: blogs
An open letter to Psychological Medicine, again!
In conclusion, noted Wilshire et al., “the claim that patients can recover as a result of CBT and GET is not justified by the data, and is highly misleading to clinicians and patients considering these treatments.”
In short, the PACE trial had null results for recovery, according to the protocol definition selected by the authors themselves. Besides the inflated recovery results reported in Psychological Medicine, the study suffered from a host of other problems, including the following:
*In a paradox, the revised recovery thresholds for physical function and fatigue–two of the four recovery measures–were so lax ...
Source: virology blog - March 23, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Commentary Information adaptive pacing therapy CFS chronic fatigue syndrome clinical trial cognitive behavior therapy Dave Tuller exercise graded exercise therapy mecfs myalgic encephalomyelitis outcome PACE trial recovery Source Type: blogs
WIRED Health 2017 London: Looking Into The Future of Healthcare
Last week WIRED Health gathered hundreds of leaders and influencers from across the globe in London to discuss the field of health innovation and technology. In addition to their long lists of honors and historic accolades, the unrivaled lineup of speakers brought an infectious enthusiasm for action in healthcare.
Peter Piot of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine set the scale of the challenge, charging the audience to strive for truly global health when he spoke about epidemics. Co-discoverer of the Ebola virus and a pioneering researcher in HIV/AIDS, Peter imparted the wisdom that human behavior and pr...
Source: Medgadget - March 16, 2017 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Tom Peach Tags: Exclusive Source Type: blogs
An open letter to Psychological Medicine about “ recovery ” and the PACE trial
In conclusion, noted Wilshire et al., “the claim that patients can recover as a result of CBT and GET is not justified by the data, and is highly misleading to clinicians and patients considering these treatments.”
In short, the PACE trial had null results for recovery, according to the protocol definition selected by the authors themselves. Besides the inflated recovery results reported in Psychological Medicine, the study suffered from a host of other problems, including the following:
*In a paradox, the revised recovery thresholds for physical function and fatigue–two of the four recovery measures–were...
Source: virology blog - March 13, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Commentary Information adaptive pacing therapy CFS chronic fatigue syndrome clinical trial cognitive behavior therapy Dave Tuller exercise graded exercise therapy mecfs myalgic encephalomyelitis outcome PACE trial recovery Source Type: blogs
What caused the spike in mortality in England and Wales in January 2015?
This study analyses the data surrounding a spike in mortality in England and Wales in January 2015. It found no evidence that the rise in mortality was attributable to data anomalies or cold weather and the data indicated that flu was unlikely to be the main cause. The researchers also examined NHS performance data during this period and found that the excess mortality in January 2015 coincided with evidence of health system failures.StudyPress release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - February 19, 2017 Category: UK Health Authors: The King ' s Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: NHS finances and productivity NHS measurement and performance Source Type: blogs
WIRED Health Bringing Together Medical Innovators in London
The fifth annual WIRED Health conference will be held on March 9 in London, bringing together entrepreneurs, techies, and many others who are participating in digitizing and revolutionizing how medical care is delivered. We’ve attended WIRED events in the past, and they stand out for their breadth, a focus on discussing actual problems and solutions, and networking opportunities with really smart people. This year we again are proud to be a WIRED Health media partner.
This year’s speakers include Emmanuelle Charpentier, co-inventor of CRISPR gene-editing technology that should help bring cures for a variety of...
Source: Medgadget - January 30, 2017 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Editors Tags: News Source Type: blogs
December blogs digest: the health benefits of nuts, sequencing the Iberian lynx genome, the importance of pets and more
How can we measure health behavior theories mathematically?
William Riley looks at whether Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) could be expressed mathematically. He reports on his article published in Translational Behavioral Medicine in which he and co-authors developed a dynamic computational model for SCT.
Magnesium deficiency and its multiple health outcomes
Getting enough magnesium in your diet? A study published in BMC Medicine last month found that increased dietary magnesium is associated with a reduced risk of heart failure, stroke, diabetes, and all-cause mortality. The study was the largest of its kind to date, using ...
Source: BioMed Central Blog - January 6, 2017 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Davy Falkner Tags: Biology Health Medicine Open Access blogs digest Source Type: blogs
More to science: working in science communication and art
What is your scientific background?
I’ve always sat in between the arts and sciences. I studied both at A level but went on to complete a BSc Hons Natural Science (Biology, Chemistry, Anthropology) at Durham University. However, I never stopped making things during that time and I even used my art skills to help my studies. I remember really enjoying drawing drosophila flies as seen under the microscope and creating infographics of Krebs cycle!
How did you transition from the lab to your current job?
At the end of my bachelor’s degree I knew I wanted to do something that used my art and science interests. I went on to...
Source: BioMed Central Blog - December 8, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Dana Berry Tags: Biology Health Medicine #moretoscience careers early career researchers PhD Science > Careers Source Type: blogs
Stephanie Constant to Direct NIGMS Office of Scientific Review
I’m pleased to announce that Stephanie Constant will be joining us in early 2017 as the new chief of our Office of Scientific Review.
Stephanie is currently a scientific review officer at NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, where her review portfolio is primarily focused on training and career development programs to promote diversity in the biomedical workforce. She also worked on detail in NIH’s Office of Extramural Research, where she contributed to developing and updating policy guidelines to enhance the NIH peer review process. Prior to joining NIH, she was a tenured associate professor in the Depar...
Source: NIGMS Feedback Loop Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - November 17, 2016 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Dr. Jon Lorsch Tags: Director’s Messages Job Announcements News Source Type: blogs
Expedition and Wilderness Medicine
Guest post Dr Edi Albert – Associate Professor, Remote and Polar Medicine at the University of Tasmania. Director, Wilderness Education Group
These two nearly synonymous terms refer broadly to the practice of medicine in austere and remote environments. The former term suggests a “journey with a purpose”, whether scientific, humanitarian, or recreational. The latter terms suggests an environment “undisturbed by human activity”. Either way, a pretty cool way to practice medicine.
It is within this context that we can identify three broad aspects to expedition and wilderness medicine: pre-departure preparation ...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - April 25, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Sean Rothwell Tags: Medical Specialty Wilderness Medicine adventure adventure medicine Curriculum Dr Bill Lukin Dr Edi Albert Dr Julian Williams Dr Sean Rothwell remote Source Type: blogs
Why We Stopped Participating In US News’ Medical School Rankings
Every spring, the snows recede, birds migrate north, and U.S. News & World Report releases its annual “Best Graduate Schools” rankings. The issue is a predictable hit with prospective graduate students and anxious parents who want to make sure their child gets into the “right” school. Universities that do well amplify the buzz by boasting of their ranking in ads, articles, and campus banners. The hoopla ensures that the issue is an annual moneymaker for the magazine.
Much of the data U.S. News uses to generate its rankings is provided by the schools themselves. A few months ago, when we received the magazine’...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - April 6, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Arthur Kellermann and Charles Rice Tags: Equity and Disparities Featured Health Professionals Quality Graduate medical education Liaison Committee on Medical Education medical school rankings Physicians Uniformed Services University of the Health Services US News & World report Source Type: blogs
Patterns of maternity care in English NHS trusts: 2013/14
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -The report, carried out in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, gives a national perspective on patterns of care during labour and delivery, enabling NHS trusts to examine their own practice in context and ensure their services meet the needs of women and their families. It shows substantial variation in practice between NHS maternity units in England and also suggests that NHS resources are not being used in the most efficient way.
Report
Maternity indicators
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - press release (Source: He...
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - March 22, 2016 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: NHS measurement and performance Quality of care and clinical outcomes Source Type: blogs
