HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: km@speedy.cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: R: Hepatitis Vaccine
Date: 16 Aug 92 14:54:10 GMT
Article-I.D.: pitt.16077
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Aug15.161704.23916@ms.uky.edu> jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson) writes:
>In article <1992Aug15.133403.18785@pixel.kodak.com> young@serum.kodak.com writes:
>[... stuff deleted ...]
>>
>>   As far as I know, there is only one hepatitis vaccine: for hepatitis B,
>>   which is typically transmitted through blood and blood products and is
>>   often associated with male homosexual practices and IV drug abuse.
>>   Hepatitis A, on the other hand, is spread most commonly by oral-fecal
>>   contact, and is endemic in many third world countries.  There is NO
>>   vaccine for hepatitis A, and it is a completely different disease.
>>
>
>Actually, there IS a Hepatitis A Vaccine, it just hasn't been approved by
>the FDA. It will be distributed by Merck-Sharp-Dohme.

Unfortunately, the public has never really been properly informed of
the different types of hepatitis and just how different they are. 
Hepatitis A is a very common infection that the public knows as
"viral hepatitis" (although A, B and C are all viral), which is spread
through fecal-oral route, and which usually causes only mild illness,
which may not even be recognized. When I went to medical school we
were taught that in most parts of the world, hepatitis-A is a disease
that kids kid, just like we (used to) get measles, that it is usually
mild, and that many of them are never aware they had it. Countries
like the U.S. are unusual in that sanitation is so good here that
kids don't get it, so adults are at risk for it.

Hepatitis B is another story. It is commonly referred to by the public
as "serum hepatitis". It is a killer, and it is very easily spread -
MUCH more easily than HIV, by the way. Most health workers who have
looked at the numbers are more worried about getting HBV from a
patient than HIV. Although a lot of people get over hepatitis B
infection, a lot don't, and there are few things worse than chronic
active hepatitis. The fact that there is now a safe and affordable
vaccine for HBV should be welcomed by EVERYONE, and it should be
recognized that everyone is at some risk for getting this disease, not
just "high risk" or "DIRTY" people. The only thing that is going to
get rid of HBV is vaccinate the whole population.

Hepatitis C is similar to B, but less well studied. It is also
spread by blood and body fluids, but is not as easily transmitted
as HBV. It has been the chief problem with transfusion-transmitted
hepatitis the past few years, and it has only been recently that
specific tests for it have been available.

 -km
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: stomach tube
Date: 22 Aug 92 13:20:13 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <473@nos850.UUCP> bunnym@nos850.UUCP (Bunny Miller) writes:

>The reason that I ask is my 75 year old grandmother has been placed in a
>nursing home because she passed out from not eating.  She currently
>has an IV in her neck (they tried several times in the arms but they
>kept getting infiltrated) that they are using for medication and
>for "feeding".  The doctor wants to remove that line stating that it is
>too expensive and a high risk for infection.  She does not want the
>stomach tube nor does the family want it.  In the state of KY however,
>they can get a court order to put the tube in against the will of the
>patient or the family.
>

I'm surprised Kentucky has such archaic laws.  Most states will
not permit it if the patient is competent or has named a
surrogate.  I suggest you find a more sympathetic doctor who
will agree to take over the case.  Most ethicists agree that
forcing a patient to take a feeding tube is unethical.  You could
also move her to a nearby state.  It is wise to inquire about 
the policies of nursing homes before placement.  Some will try
very hard to get tubes put in to avoid the hassles, even of
feeding patients manually (which takes a lot of nursing time).
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: med school application
Date: 22 Aug 92 00:55:39 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <1992Aug19.222813.1813@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu> smathur@McRCIM.McGill.EDU (Shailendra Mathur) writes:
>
>
>I'm filling an application for med school. Does anybody know what do the
>following terms really mean:
>1. Self-directed learning skills

You are willing and able to learn even without having
to study for an exam.

>2. self-assessment ability

You have the ability to tell whether you are screwing up.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Kurt.Ullman@p0.f290.n231.z1.fidonet.org (Kurt Ullman)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Cops & Radar
Date: 19 Aug 92 01:52:11 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:231/290.0 - The RoadHouse BBS (, Indianapolis IN

Does anybody out there have any SCIENTIFIC studies on the
the relationship between traffic radars and cancer.  There is a great
deal of controversy, but little evidence either way.  My trip through
MEDLARS yielded nothing.
        The only one attempt I have seen, had a couple of flaws and is
being reworked. Looked at all officers and all males. This failed to
take into account the fact that mandatory retirements, etc. tend to skew
the cops to a younger age than the general population. Since most
testicular cancers tend to occur in those under 35, it should be
expected that this group will a have higher incidence if only because a
higher percentage of them are in the prime age group. (When was the last
you saw an 80 year old active duty cop??)
        Any citations, etc. would be greatly appreciated. (And no I
don't think the 60 Minutes piece qualifies as a peer-reviewed article).

 

--  
Internet: Kurt.Ullman@p0.f290.n231.z1.fidonet.org
From: clissman@ccvax.ucd.ie
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Anaphylactic shock - a vaccine ??
Date: 19 Aug 92 11:39:58 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: University College Dublin

Re Analphylactic Shock

I came across a reference here to a vaccine for anaphylaxis. Is there a vaccine
to protect against anaphylactic shock, induced by allergy to bee stings and
other histamine reactions ? 
Any information would be most welcome

Ciaran Clissmann, Dept Comp Sci, Univ Coll Dublin Ireland
CLISSMAN@CCVAX.UCD.IE
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Parkinson's/Dementia
From: Robin.Salmansohn@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Salmansohn)
Date: 13 Aug 92 12:59:44 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:273/715 - Alternative Lifesty, Wyndmoor PA


 To: km@speedy.cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
 
 KM> You can post two lines on this newsgroup any more without offending
 KM> some imagined group of unfortunate misunderstood people. I about
 KM> gave up after all the flack over the mayonnaise jar. Lighten up
 KM> you people! (And DON'T send me mail...)
 
Actually Ken that mayo story was funny, and a welcome break from the usual. I 
told my FP that one and he just had to grin. I added an embelishment to it, as 
he handed me a script and a few professional samples of Seldane. I asked him 
what happened to the professional samples of mayo. <g>
Humor IS medicine.


 

--  
Internet: Robin.Salmansohn@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org
From: shafer@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Question about Scoliosis and back pain
Date: 21 Aug 92 21:28:02 GMT
Organization: NASA Dryden, Edwards, Cal.

On 21 Aug 92 16:46:23 GMT, lsnow@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Linda Snow) said:

> As for your scoliosis: I don't think they use surgical
> corrections in adults, but supposedly there are exercises that help.

> I think an orthopedist followed by a physical therapist would be
> indicated.

They do use surgical corrections for scoliosis in adults; they implant
rods on either side of the spine and bolt on hooks that go around the
vertebra.  One of the members of my car pool had this surgery
scheduled before her husband died (she postponed for a while) and she
brought in pictures of the hardware.  It looks pretty horrorific, but
she's gone from pain to numbness and the time is coming to install it.
She did the exercises for years, but they only slowed the problem,
not stopped it.

There's a national scoliosis group and there may be local ones, too.
I'd suggest asking at the nearest teaching hospital.  My friend found
hers through UCLA.

--
Mary Shafer  DoD #0362 KotFR NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
shafer@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov                    Of course I don't speak for NASA
 "There's no kill like a guns kill." LCDR "Hoser" Satrapa, gunnery instructor
                       "A kill is a kill."  Anonymous
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 08:36:44 EDT
From: <DGS4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Doctors' Fees Above UCR

In article <4610024@hpcc01.corp.hp.com>, zornow@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Claudia
Zornow) says:
>
>I'm curious about the ethical issues arising when a doctor
>charges above what an insurance company deems Usual, Customary,
>and Reasonable.
>
>A friend of mine in New York City had occasion to go to a
>gynecologist there a year or so ago, for some minor surgical
>procedure (biopsy or some such).  She was new to NYC and to
>her company's health plan.  She told the doctor's staff that
>she had Blue Cross Wraparound Plus coverage, which pays 80%
>of UCR charges when the doctor is not on their preferred
>provider list (this doctor was not).  In this case, the
>patient pays the doctor and then BC reimburses her.
>
>The doctor and his staff did not discuss fees with my friend.
>When she got a bill, it was for $900.  BC said that the UCR
>charge for this procedure was $600, and therefore reimbursed
>her $480.
>
>My friend could not afford the additional $420, and the
>doctor has now referred the bill to a collection agency.
>
>Who is in the wrong here?  The doctor?  The insurance
>company?  My friend?  All of them?  Something is not
>right here.

None of them are "in the wrong".  It states quite clearly in your insurance
contract that physicians are allowed to charge more than the fee that the
insurer pays.  That's why it's important as a patient to always ask the
physician, preferably before treatment if possible, if he/she accepts the
insurer's UCR as payment in full.  If not, you then can either:
1) Go to a different doctor; 2) Negotiate with the physician over the
charge.  Economic studies of doctor charges indicate that 75 to 90 percent
of physicians will negotiate with a patient about the charge.  Negotiation
can even be done after the fact.  Your friend should call up the doctor
and ask to speak with him/her or the business manager about the bill. If
your friend is fair and reasonable and willing to try and make payment on
some portion of the charge, the physician will usually be accomadating.

Dennis Shea
Newsgroups: sci.med,misc.fitness
From: mrb@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (m..bruncati)
Subject: Is it safe?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 22:12:09 GMT
Followup-To: sci.med


Hi,

I want to know what the people on the net think of this diet.
I got it out of a book called "The Ultrafit Diet" by Joe Davis
M.D.  He has several diets in this book one of them is for quick weight
loss - you know like 5 or 10 lbs. so you can fit through the doors
at McDonalds - anyway the diet consists of eating six meals a day
and with each mean taking 7 grams of aminos acids - basically 
42 grams of predigested protein.  The "meals" consist of like a
piece of fruit or some such which works out to around 700cals.
a day.  His claim is that you won't feel hungry or lose muscle
mass - oh you have to drink at least 64oz. of water a day (I was
drinking close to a gallon) and
take a multi vit and cycle off on his maintenance diet every 4
weeks.  Oh, and no oil or sugar except what was in the fruit.

Well I started this diet and the first day I decided to double
my intake (cause I WAS hungry) but stay with the diet - so was taking in around
1200 to 1400 wasn't really counting and taking 42 grams of 
predigested protein tablets a day.  I lost about 5 lbs. [I'm 170] (I
was also exercising but nothing heavy) and the
six meal thing is great cause I get to eat every 3 hours.  

My question - is this hard on my kidneys? all those tablets!  

I mean this is basically
a high protein diet but since the amino acids are predigested
I thought that there would be no problem for the short time (maybe
another week or two) that
I'd be on this diet.  To be on the safe side I stopped after a week
and thought I get some opinions from the net and maybe see a Doctor.
I liked the diet and felt good but don't want to screw
myself up if there is real
danger to my health.  

I KNOW that 2lbs. a week is the max
recommended and that if I gain it back my muscle to fat ratio will
be screwed up but that`s the subject of another post.  Oh, do you
think that the protein will really help maintain muscle mass on
this low calorie diet?  any test I could take to evaluate the 
present health of my kidneys?

So, any advice, comments, warnings? 
Any info would be very helpful - post or email is fine.

Thanks - sorry for talking so long.

Michael
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: wales@valeria.cs.ucla.edu (Rich Wales)
Subject: Re: Mercury in dental fillings?
Reply-To: wales@CS.UCLA.EDU (Rich Wales)
Organization: UCLA CS Department, Los Angeles
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 18:20:50 GMT

David Favor wrote:

	Mercury deteriorates in 4-12 years, dependent mainly on
	diet and personal metabolic type/rate.

If by "mercury" you mean amalgam fillings (which consist of a composite
or alloy of several metals, not purely mercury), this figure is exces-
sively short.  I, for example, have several amalgam fillings in my mouth
that have been there for 25 (that's right, twenty-five) years and still
show no appreciable signs of deterioration.  I've asked my dentist
(every six months :-}) to assess the condition of these fillings, and he
has repeatedly assured me they are fine.

--
Rich Wales <wales@CS.UCLA.EDU> // UCLA Computer Science Department
3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, CA 90024-1596 // +1 (310) 825-5683
Organisation: European Space Operation Centre (E.S.O.C)
Date: Thursday, 13 Aug 1992 13:22:27 CET
From: <RFLOOD@ESOC.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Magnetic Therapy

I believe there's some justification for using magnetic fields in some areas,
but to achieve any results, they have to be strong, and  these devices being
offered  are way too low powered.....
As an example, I have heard of  bone regeneration being accelerated where
the complete limb is placed in a coil and subjected to high power magnetic
fields.  No way will you get a comparable field from a permament magnet.

RaF
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: MS Question
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:02:59 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <1992Aug17.234805.29001@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM> tim@sitpc1.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Tim.Cogan) writes:
>Hello,
>
>Can anyone tell me if ones life expectancy is reduced when diagnosed with MS?
>My wife, diagnosed with MS 4 yrs. ago, was turned down for life insurance
>after the insurace company contacted her neurologist.  I've done some
>reading since the diagnosis and am well aware that this disease can be quite
>disabling, but I didn't get the impression that it could be fatal.
>
Most MS patients live out a normal life span.  In severe cases (maybe
5 or 10%), patients can become bedridden and succumb to infections.
This is probably why the insurance company is dubious about insuring
her.  

>Also, if I understand correctly, MS is diagnosed by ruling out all other        diseases that might be causing the symptoms at the time testing is done.
>As I understand, there is no test that can be run to show that a person has 
>MS.  Since the initial diagnosis, my wife has not had another episode of 
>numbness/loss of muscle control.  If the symptoms reappear... Would it be 
>wise to go through the tests once again?

Certain tests can make the diagnosis in the 90% or more certainty range,
but autopsy is the only sure test.  MS is more easily testable than
the rarer things that might be causing similar symptoms.  Whether she
needs to have the tests again depends on whether the tests were positive
the first time.  If they were not, then having them again would be
useful, but then one should be careful of diagnosing MS in a patient
with only one episode and negative tests.  I would never put that
on a chart in such circumstances.


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: young@serum.kodak.com
Subject: Re: R: Hepatitis Vaccine
Originator: young@sasquatch
Reply-To: young@serum.kodak.com
Organization: Clinical Products Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 21:19:55 GMT

In article <1992Aug15.185752.10892@ms.uky.edu> jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson) writes:
>In article <1992Aug15.173232.25911@pixel.kodak.com> young@serum.kodak.com writes:
>>In article <1992Aug15.161704.23916@ms.uky.edu> jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson) writes:
>>
>>>
>>>Actually, there IS a Hepatitis A Vaccine, it just hasn't been approved by
>>>the FDA. It will be distributed by Merck-Sharp-Dohme.
>>
>>   Well, live and learn.  On the other hand, if I can't get it [yet], then
>>   there effectively IS none, right?  :-)
>>
>
>Maybe you've forgotten about the other 4 billion people in the world who
>get their medical care someplace other than the US... :-)

	Is the HAV vaccine available to those people?

-Rich Young
Xref: sparky sci.med:15730 comp.soft-sys.andrew:1147
From: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med,comp.soft-sys.andrew
Subject: Medical software using Andrew
Date: 13 Aug 92 13:49:47 GMT
Followup-To: sci.med
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University of Pittsburgh

I would appreciate hearing from anyone developing medical
software using the Andrew Toolkit.

 -Ken Mitchum MD
 km@cs.pitt.edu

Newsgroups: sci.med
From: jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson)
Subject: Re: Nutrition (Was FDA still at large)
Organization: Kentucky Cancer Registry, Univ. of Ky
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 17:35:04 GMT

In article <714067218.F00001@blkcat.UUCP> John.Willis@p123.f349.n109.z1.fidonet.org (John Willis) writes:

[...stuff deleted...]

> I understand and agree with most of this.  I will, however, go to the doctor
>that understands what a well balanced diet is, etc...  I have been impressed
>with some RDs, but on the whole I'm not too crazy about hospital food.  A well
>trained quack, er, uh, I mean, uh, nutritionist, could provide the same.
>
>John
>:-)
>

What does an RD have to do with you not liking hospital food? In most
institutions the clinical RD's have no more control over the menu cycles
or food preparation than the patient.

A Registered Dietitian has completed an undergraduate degree program,
an internship, and has passed a national, formalized exam.
While not all RD's are good at nutrition counseling, they (as a group)
are your best resource for nutrition information. Physicians (in general)
do not have very good training in nutrition.
 
-- 
[]  J. Randall Thompson                                      jrt@kcr.uky.edu []
[]  University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky                              []
From: Gloria.Hayes@f330.n100.z1.fidonet.org (Gloria Hayes)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Kidney stones
Date: 19 Aug 92 12:32:58 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:100/330 - The Wallstreet Raid, St Louis MO

Have a daughter who is undergoing tests after a kidney stone was passed quit 
unexpectedly.  There appear to be no more but weeks since this occurred, there 
is still obvious blood in the urine which is confirmed by tests.  Since this 
occurrence, she is bothered with a pain in the 'left' side that can't seem to 
be diagnosed.  Strangely enough, the right kidney was affected and doesn't 
seem to explain the left side.  What is the prognosis of stones re-occuring 
and also future problems.  I believe the term used was pyelonephritis ... Any 
comments appreciated.


 

--  
Internet: Gloria.Hayes@f330.n100.z1.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: R: Hepatitis Vaccine
Date: 15 Aug 92 16:17:04 GMT
    <1992Aug15.133403.18785@pixel.kodak.com>
Organization: Kentucky Cancer Registry, Univ. of Ky

In article <1992Aug15.133403.18785@pixel.kodak.com> young@serum.kodak.com writes:
[... stuff deleted ...]
>
>   As far as I know, there is only one hepatitis vaccine: for hepatitis B,
>   which is typically transmitted through blood and blood products and is
>   often associated with male homosexual practices and IV drug abuse.
>   Hepatitis A, on the other hand, is spread most commonly by oral-fecal
>   contact, and is endemic in many third world countries.  There is NO
>   vaccine for hepatitis A, and it is a completely different disease.
>

Actually, there IS a Hepatitis A Vaccine, it just hasn't been approved by
the FDA. It will be distributed by Merck-Sharp-Dohme.



-- 
[]  J. Randall Thompson                                      jrt@kcr.uky.edu []
[]  University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky                              []