NYC Subway Ads -- Lung Cancer

NYC Subway Ads -- Lung Cancer, originally uploaded by KidneyNotes.

Nephritic Syndrome Workup

Nephritic Syndrome Workup, originally uploaded by KidneyNotes.

Jonathan Coulton, Merlin Mann, Leo Laporte, and Veronica Belmont Perform "Still Alive"

More thoughts on "Still Alive" and Portal here.

Hilarious Journal Articles #91: Parkinson's Disease Patients Benefit From Tango

Via the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy:

Effects of Tango on Functional Mobility in Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study.

Recent research has shown that dance, specifically tango, may be an appropriate and effective strategy for ameliorating functional mobility deficits in people who are frail and elderly. Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience declines in functional mobility that may be even more pronounced than those experienced by frail elderly individuals without PD. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two movement programs: tango classes or exercise classes. Nineteen subjects with PD were randomly assigned to a tango group or a group exercise class representative of the current classes offered in our geographical area for individuals with PD. Subjects completed a total of 20 tango or exercise classes and were evaluated the week before and the week following the intervention. Both groups showed significant improvements in overall Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score and nonsignificant improvements in self-reported Freezing of Gait. In addition, the tango group showed significant improvements on the Berg Balance Scale. The exercise group did not improve on this measure. Finally, the tango group showed a trend toward improvement on the Timed Up and Go test that was not observed in the exercise group. Future studies with a larger sample are needed to confirm and extend our observation that tango may be an effective intervention to target functional mobility deficits in individuals with PD.

The collection of hilarious journal articles is here.

Green iPhone Camera Problem

Currently Reading: Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling

Heath Ledger's Drug Interactions

According to the Chief Medical Examiner of New York, Heath Ledger "died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone (Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), diazepam (Valium), temazepam (Restoril), alprazolam (Xanax), and doxylamine (Unisom)."

To illustrate why he died, the following is a list of potential drug interactions from Epocrates, an online drug database. Nearly everything interacted with everything else:

1. diazepam <-> oxycodone
caution advised, especially w/ IV benzodiazepines and IV opioids, consider dose reduction: combo may result in vasodilation, severe hypotension, CNS and respiratory depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

2. diazepam <-> temazepam
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, adverse effects (additive effects)

3. diazepam <-> Vicodin
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

4. diazepam <-> Xanax
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, adverse effects (additive effects)

5. oxycodone <-> temazepam
caution advised, especially w/ IV benzodiazepines and IV opioids, consider dose reduction: combo may result in vasodilation, severe hypotension, CNS and respiratory depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

6. oxycodone <-> Vicodin
caution advised, consider dose reduction: combo may incr. risk of CNS and resp. depression, profound sedation, hypotension, other adverse effects (additive effects)

7. oxycodone <-> Xanax
caution advised, especially w/ IV benzodiazepines and IV opioids, consider dose reduction: combo may result in vasodilation, severe hypotension, CNS and respiratory depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

8. temazepam <-> Vicodin
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

9. temazepam <-> Xanax
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, adverse effects (additive effects)

10. Vicodin <-> Xanax
caution advised: combo may incr. risk of CNS depression, psychomotor impairment (additive effects)

To mitigate Pains in the Kidneys (from 1696)

Via Google Book Search.

Why You Must Read Intueri

Maria writes:

Hospital staff can easily tell when the medical center has hired new telephone/paging operators: They sound absolutely terrified when they announce codes.

To their credit, they try to speak calmly and clearly, but their voices invariably betray their fears:

“Code one-nine-nine, second floor, south wing, room twenty… code one-nine-nine, SECOND floor, SOUTH wing, room TWENTY… CODE ONE-NINE-NINE SECOND FLOOR SOUTH WING ROOM TWENTY—”

oh my GOD someone just told me that someone is dying will you PLEASE hurry up and DO SOMETHING

Frozen Grand Central (from Improv Everywhere)

Pedialyte Pops

Note: If you're sick, frozen pedialyte pops aren't half bad.