The main theme of this year’s Advances in Genome Biology and Technology meeting should come as no surprise to regular readers: sequencing. Generating as many bases of DNA sequence as quickly, cheaply and accurately as possible is the goal of the moment, and the number of companies jostling to achieve that goal is growing rapidly.

The [...]

A reader asked me the question:
What are doctors looking for when they look in your ears on exam?
Looking inside your ears is part of the history and physical examination.  Of course the easy answer  for why doctors are looking in your ears is to first answer the question:
What self respecting doctor would bother to look [...]

I took care of a young lady the other day whom I admitted for  diabetic ketoacidosis.  She asked me what her bicarbonate level was.  I was a bit surprised since most of the time my DKA patients’ don’t care what their bicarb levels are.  I told her it was eight.  For the non medical types [...]

Bilateral globus pallidus hyperintensity is characterstic of CO poisoning. In this case this was an obscure case clinically and diagnosis of suspected retrospectively after MRI was done.
Reported by- Teleradiology Providers.
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: Lifespan / Rhode Island HospitalDate: February 26, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have discovered how cells communicate with each other during times of cellular injury. The findings shed new light on how the body repairs itself when organs become diseased, through small particles known as microvesicles, and offer hope for tissue regeneration. The paper [...]

Stephen Turner from Pacific Biosciences gave a dramatic presentation this afternoon launching PacBio’s new third-generation sequencing instrument. The room was packed for the seminar, with a palpable buzz, and Turner’s presentation was preceded by a theatrical introduction from PacBio CEO Hugh Martin. 

The crescendo of Turner’s presentation was the unveiling of a video showing the new [...]

Click here to listen to my appearance on a segment on the Kansas smoking ban on WIBW radio’s (Topeka) “On the Other Hand” with Raubin and Megan. You have to scroll down to “Friday’s Show 2nd Hour.”

ANR Also Encouraging Anti-Smoking Groups to Disseminate Alarmist Claims About Dangers of Thirdhand Smoke
ANR is Claiming That Nicotine Was Previously Not Thought to Be Toxic
In a communication sent to smoke-free advocates across the country, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) cites the recent study on thirdhand smoke as evidence of the health hazards of secondhand exposure [...]

Student guest post by Shylo Wardyn
I recently read the book ‘Good Germs, Bad Germs’ by Jessica Snyder Sachs. I became intrigued by parts of her book that discussed how babies become colonized with bacteria during birth. The most interesting part was the differences between vaginally-delivered and Caesarean-delivered babies. It was not something [...]

Some women want to go through a home birthing experience.  Before the creation of western style hospitals, women all across the world routinely had a home birthing experience.  They had no other choice.  

Many states have banned the practice.  They have created laws that turn midwives and other health care professionals into criminals for assisting mothers [...]