HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Evidence for homeopathy?
Date: 5 Nov 1992 08:57:35 -0600
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: im4u.cs.utexas.edu
Summary: Too busy to find out what you are about?!?

-*----
In article <BSIMON.92Nov5072429@elvis.stsci.edu> bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
> ... There are approximately 500 homeopathic physicians in the
> United States and no professors of homeopathy at the medical
> schools. The physicians are more concerned with making their
> patients well than in establishing the theoretical foundations 
> of homeopathy. ...

This sounds very much like the programmers who are too busy
tinkering with their programs and observing the results to learn
any software engineering, not even how to use a good debugger. 

> ... So, although homeopathic research will continue, it probably
> will do so at a slow rate. ...

Have homeopaths performed *any* well-controlled experiments that
*directly* test that therapeutic potency increases with dilution
or that different samples of water that are pure by conventional
chemistry can be distinguished according to their past solutes?  
If not, given that homeopathy has been around for a couple of
centuries, its theoretical progress is so slow that it is
downright undetectable. 

> ... If there is any blame to be found here, the onus lies on
> those who fund medical research and not on the homeopaths. 

People fund research according to the likelihood of worthwhile
results.  Nothing you have written suggests that there are 
research homeopaths out there who have done good work and whose
further progress awaits funding.  Yes, this is a bit of a
catch-22, but it is the *same* catch-22 that all researchers
face.  Some of the basic experiments, such as the one I
previously described, could easily be funded by reasonable
donations from 500 working physicians.  (Nor need we restrict
ourselves to America.  Is not homeopathy much more popular in
Europe?)  

It seems to me that "if there is any blame to be found here, the
onus lies" on two centuries of homeopaths who have done so little
to lay the foundations of their soi disant science. 

Russell
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Subject: Re: Homeopathy
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 07:48:29 GMT

In <1992Nov11.051527.922@netcom.com> sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller) writes:

>The best evidence does come from clinical studies - no kidding.
>You didn't seem to be able to come up with one in favor of homeopathy
>wrt rheumatoid arthritis.

Gibson, R. G., Shiela L. M. Gibson, A. D. MacNeill, and W. Watson.
"Homeopathic Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evaluation by Double-Blind
Clinical Therapeutic Trial." _British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology_,
(May, 1980): 453-459.  Over 80% who received homeopathic medicines
experienced improvement in their arthritic symptoms; only about 20% of
patients receiving placebos had similar improvement.

>It's not necessary to go into that.  And what are "standard" homeopathic
>practices?  Is there a standards body somewhere?

Homeopathy is pretty clearly defined.  There is the diagnosis involving
symptom picture, and administration of homeopathic remedies.  In the US,
homeopathic remedies are listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia
Convention of the United States (HPCUS), which is recognized by the FDA.

MDs, osteopaths (DO) and naturopaths (ND) have board certification for
homeopathy; for MDs and DOs, it's the Diplomate in Homepathic
Therapeutics (DHt), and for the NDs, it's the Diplomate of the
Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (DHANP).  Depending on
the state, other licensed medical professionals such as chiropractors
or acupuncturists may also practice homeopathy legally, although
Arizona is the only state I know of with an actual Board of
Homeopathic Medical Examiners.

It's still important to choose a practitioner carefully.  Start with a
referral from the National Center for Homeopathy, the International
Foundation for Homeopathy, or the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy in
Berkeley.  Then check for board certification, training and practical
backgrounds, etc.

There are some variations: whether to give a high potency remedy right
away or lower potencies building up to higher potencies, or whether it's
okay to combine remedies or not; but anything beyond administering the
HPCUS remedies isn't homeopathy.

-- 
Peter Kaminski
kaminski@netcom.com
From: zorrilla@cattell.psych.upenn.edu (Eric Zorrilla)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Seasonal Affective Disorder - Light Treatments
Date: 9 Nov 92 01:17:03 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1992Nov8.194753.14292@netcom.com> hank@netcom.com (Hank Roberts) writes:

>    I can't see anything in what I know here, from which you can draw
>the conclusion that it's not necessary to look at the light; and the
>literature _of_which_I_am_aware_ has not demonstrated any improvement
>in SAD from illuminating any other part of the body.

The problem, then, is that there are studies of which you are unaware.  :)

Phototherapy's therapeutic effects appear to be transmitted through the
retino-hypothalamic tract - a tract that is separate from the optic tract
(though both appear to originate in the region of the optic nerve).  Entrain-
ment to light cycles is UNAFFECTED by transection of visual pathways before
the optic chiasm even though these same animals appear blind (Klein & Moore,
1979).  We can think of a number of post-transduction ways that one might
be sightless and, hence, still have the circadian-mediating tract intact.

So, what's crucial appears to be the amount of light hitting the retina,
but it is wholly unimportant if one is looking at the light source.  As
long as the eye is open and is in a field so that a sufficient amount of
light hits the retina, phototherapy should work (assuming all the other
parameters are correct).


-- 
[--------------------------------------+--------------------------------------]
| Eric Zorrilla - Dept. of Psychology  | zorrilla@cattell.psych.upenn.edu     |
| University of Pennsylvania           | 3815 Walnut, Philadelphia, PA 19104  |
[--------------------------------------+--------------------------------------]
From: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com (Bill McGarry)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Down's Syndrone
Date: 13 Nov 92 05:13:18 GMT
Organization: The Handicap News BBS (1-203-337-1607)

In article <1992Nov2.205321.5380@desire.wright.edu>
sbishop@desire.wright.edu writes:
>
>I have some questions about Down's Syndrome.  I know that there are various
>degrees of it, some more severe than others, I am curious if there is a
>very slight degree of Down's Syndrome.  I am foster parent to a child who
>looks a little like a Down's child, is of normal intelligence yet has some
>of the physical characteristics, i.e., teeth, body structure (slightly
>pudgy), slight facial characeristics......
>
Hi Sue,

I have a 10 year old son with Down Syndrome.  There is what is
called mosaic Down Syndrome where the original cell after fertilization
does not have the extra chromosone but in the first few cell
divisions, one of the cells has the extra chromosone.  I hope that
I explained that correctly -- it's been 10 years since someone
explained that to me and that was right after Alexander was born
so I wasn't thinking too straight at that point.  It is very rare.
(By the way, Alexander does NOT have mosaic.)

There is a blood test that can be done to determine whether
your foster child has Down Syndrome or not.


                                Bill McGarry

UUCP:       {oliveb, uunet}!bunker!wtm
INTERNET:   wtm@bunker.shel.isc-br.com
BITNET:     l-hcap@ndsuvm1.bitnet
Fidonet:    The Handicap News BBS (141/420)   1-203-337-1607
            (300/1200/2400 baud, 24 hours)
Compuserve: 73170,1064
From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Weight Loss with Dexfenfluramine
Date: 13 Nov 92 14:08:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: omen.1992Nov13.140839.7710
Organization: Omen Technology INC, Portland Rain Forest

In article <1992Nov13.004533.22122@spdcc.com> dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) writes:
>In article <1992Nov12.134825.28770@omen.UUCP> caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg) writes:
>>At this point I must trust that Weintraub, Sundarsean, Madan, Schuster,
>>Balder, Lasagna, and Cox are competent researchers who are aware of the
>>issues they cover in their paper.
>
>Argument from authority.  You do them a disservice.

The aforementioned may not be more expert on obesity than pill expert Dyer,
but not even he could claim they were unfamiliar with the details of the
experiment, which is the point I was making.

>
>>The paper does mention that the lipid
>>profiles showed the subjects were not starting to cheat on the diet.
>
>Get real.  Lipid profiles indicate whether or not someone is cheating?
>Snort.


"The beneficial lipid changes seen in this study seem more
likely to be related to the total intervention, primarily
caloric restriction and exercise, than to the medications.
Persistence of higher HDL-C levels and desireable ratios for 210
weeks, DESPITE REGAIN OF WEIGHT, support the overall value of
the program."

"Despite behavior modification, diet, exercise, and continued
medication, patients were unable to maintain their weight losses
...  We might have been able to avoid further weight increases
by returning participants to their previous treatment dose ...
changing to the new behavior modification support groups
disruptive and unsatisfactory."


I don't know how closely the Weintraub combination relates to the
following, but it suggests the long term weight reduction is not 
due to the initial anorectic effect:

"According to most authors, tolerance to the anorectic effects
of d-fenfluramine in rats rapidly sets in; food intake is depressed
or only 2 to 6 days ... However, as long as the drug is administrated,
the weight deficit persists."
(Clinical Neuropharmacology Vol 11 Suppl 1 S105)

It should also be noted that long term weight suppression with
the over the counter anorectic phenylpropylalanine is negligible.

>>Fact?  More like somebody's "mind is made up, don't confuse me with facts."
>
>You're joking, aren't you?  I wouldn't try that argument if I were you,
>given your track record on this subject.

Track record - now just what is that supposed to mean?

>Steve Dyer
>dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer

Steve, you still haven't shown us what's so lousy about the
"state of the art-ness" of the diet, exercise, and behavior mod
of Weintraub's program.......
-- 
Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX          ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf 
Author of YMODEM, ZMODEM, Professional-YAM, ZCOMM, and DSZ
  Omen Technology Inc    "The High Reliability Software"
17505-V NW Sauvie IS RD   Portland OR 97231   503-621-3406
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: ilana@kiowa.scd.ucar.edu (Ilana Stern)
Subject: Re: depo provera LONG
Organization: NCAR/UCAR
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 21:15:31 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.150221.3672@spdcc.com>, dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) writes:
 
> Note that it's _Depo_-Provera which is approved as a contraceptive.
> (Depo- is short for "depot".)  This is a preparation which when injected
> into a large muscle, releases a low dose of Provera continually
> over a 3 month period.  This more or less achieves the same effect as
> taking a daily progestin-only "mini pill", except that you only need to
> be given it every three months.  The "Norplant" silicone implants
> work on a similar basis, though they uses a different synthetic progestin
> and last for 5 years.  The advantage of Norplant is that the silicone
> capsules can at least potentially be removed early.  With Depo-Provera,
> you're committed to contraception for three months or a little longer.

Other advantages of Norplant are that the woman is immediately fertile
upon removal of the capsule (as opposed to Depo-Provera, where apparently
there is some period during which contraception is possible but not
guaranteed) and that she only has to mess with the method once every
five years instead of once every three months.

-- 
/\     There may be honor among thieves, but there's none among politicians.
  \_][ <--NCAR Ilana Stern dod#009 r.b. cliff swallow ilana@ncar.ucar.edu    
      \______________________________________________________________________
From: jbright.Wbst129@Xerox.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Length of residency
Date: 10 Nov 92 20:37:04 GMT
Reply-To: jbright@ ()
Distribution: usa
Organization: Xerox
Originator: jbright@vega

I have a list of specialities and the length of residency. But suppose you go into a sub-speciality. Do you first enter a speciality residency, complete that, then apply for some type of secondary residency? (fellow, maybe?) For example, suppose that someone wanted to be a Pediatrian sub-speciality Oncology/Hemotology sp? (okay, okay, so that's one of my interests.) How long would residency last? Would the person do their Peds residency, and then become a fellow in Peds (or maybe Oncology) Just curious abo








ut how the system works.

Thanks is advance.

James
-- 
Disclaimer: These views are strictly my own, are not meant to
represent Xerox, its accociates, my parents, nor any pets that
I have had in the past of will have in the future.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: nsmith@tms390.micro.ti.com (Neal Smith)
Subject: WANTED: Software for medical boards.
Organization: Texas Instruments, Houston
Distribution: sci
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 15:58:25 GMT


Is there anyone who reads this board that has software to
help study for medical board exams?  I have a sister-in-law
who is starting to study for hers, and has access to an 
IBM PC clone.  I am mostly interested in free software that
is floating around.  If you have commercial software that
you would like to sell used, though, or even a recommendation
about commercially available software, I'd like to hear
about that too.

Please e-mail replies, if possible, to nsmith@tms390.micro.ti.com.

Thank you very much.


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------
From Neal Smith (nsmith@tms390.micro.ti.com)
The expressions opined here are mine.
If you want TI's opinion, you'll have to ask marketing...
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: william@ravel.udel.edu (Wild William)
Subject: Hard lumps under skin surface
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 14:22:58 GMT

My fiance has recently had the pleasure of getting this little lump 
on the back of her leg, right where she sits.  The lump has gotten
a bit bigger and a bit harder, at first we thought it was an insect
bite but it has been there for about 2 - 2.5 weeks.

The skin around the lump isn't too sensitive but right in the
center it is pretty tender.  The whole thing is about 1" across and
it is hard like a big zit.  We have ruled out the ingrown hair / zit 
/ bite ideas so we are a little stuck.

Someone told us that 'it will just go away in a little while'.
Hmmm.

So....

Does anyone know: 
 what this might be?
 what causes it?
 how to get rid of it?
 how to prevent it?

Thanx


Bill

         
William York
william@chopin.udel.edu
(302) 453 8147
From: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Anyone have any info on Doctor Grossman, Methodist Hosp. Houston?
Date: 7 Nov 92 18:48:31 GMT
Reply-To: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin
Originator: ifaq570@happy.cc.utexas.edu


	Does anyone know about the skill of a doctor Grossman in Methodist
Hospital in Houston?  We have heard that he is a highly skilled Nuerosurgeon,
but I would like to find out if anyone on the net has anything to say about
him.

Full name:   Dr. Robert G. Grossman
		Methodist Hospital, Houston Tx.


ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
email please...
From: mhosea@seas.smu.edu (Mike Hosea)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Tonsilectomy ..
Summary: minor correction
Keywords: Seeking info ..
Date: 11 Nov 92 16:23:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: seas.1992Nov11.162326.20876
Organization: SMU School Of Engineering and Applied Science

In article <1992Nov11.070149.18960@seas.smu.edu> mhosea@seas.smu.edu (Mike Hosea) writes:
>In article <1992Nov10.215715.10472@uc.msc.edu> jwabik@uc.msc.edu (Jeff Wabik) writes:
>>If you can, please provide some commentary on the following:
>>
>>1)  Did you have your tonsils removed as an adult?  If so, can you
>>    describe your recovery period/etc, and anything else about the
>>    procedure that stands out?  How long was it before you could 
>>    eat again?  What kind of "pain killers" did you use?  Were
>>    they effective?
>
>It was late in the evening before I had slept off the drugs.  I still can't
>believe this, but I actually ate some pizza that night.  Of course, I had
>to chew it until it was a smooth paste!  :-).  Swallowing hurt for the

My wife tells me that it was the next morning when I ate the pizza.  She
does, however, confirm that we had sex that night, which I suppose provides
a counterexample to your nurse's claim that you won't feel like doing 
anything for a few days.  

-- 
Regards,
Mike Hosea (mhosea@seas.smu.edu)
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: jgnassi@athena.mit.edu (John Angelo Gnassi)
Subject: Re: Prozac side effects
Organization: Massachusetts General Hospital - Lab of Computer Science
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 17:30:27 GMT

In article <274.9211041413@bonzo.xylogics.com> rollo@xylogics.com (Dena Rollo) writes:
>a) recommend continuing medication to see
>if symptoms subside
>b) decrease dose to every other day
>c) discontinue
>d) discontinue and try a different anti-depressant?

One other possibility which I've seen used is to dissolve one 20 mg tablet
in a glass of orange juice, drink half one day and the other half the next.
I don't know if this will disturb the effect of the medication in any
way, but I don't know why it should.  I also don't know if this method
has been tested in any systematic way.

--
     John Angelo Gnassi                 Lab of Computer Science
   jgnassi@hstbme.mit.edu               Massachusetts General Hospital
     "Eternal Student"                  Boston, Massachusetts, USA
         "Give a hoot.  Read a book." - Krusty the Clown
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
From: dixon@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Paul Dixon)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: AIDS therapy using DMSO and isopropyl alcohol (revised)
Date: 6 Nov 92 23:21:19 GMT
Organization: University of Hawaii
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6422

A proposed therapy for H.I.V. positive patients is to conjugate DMSO,
(dimethyl sulfoxide) with isopropyl alcohol and apply to a one or two
square centimeter portion of the epidermis daily.

In this way, the viricidal action of the isopropyl alcohol would be
taken to all areas through the circulatory system, including the
interior of the cells in the Helper-T cell population.

Within the Helper-T cell, the viricidal action of isopropyl alcohol
is sufficient to destroy the integrity of the relatively weak H.I.V..

The viricidal action of isopropyl alcohol is greatest at approximately 
70% concentration. As the DMSO allows rapid transport of the isopropyl
alcohol to the entire circulatory system in a few seconds, the 
strength of the isopropyl viricidal action will immediately destroy
the H.I.V. with which it comes into contact.

This follows current practice in Veterinary Medicine, where DMSO is used
to transport antibiotics into the animal's circulatory plasma. 

The DMSO allows transport of conjugated substances through the cell
wall barriers.

A preliminary trial on a human experimental subject of one month's 
duration shows no adverse side-effects.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Paul W. Dixon
Department of Psychology
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, Hawaii    96720 USA
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
From: Sasha Nakhimovsky <sasha@cs.cornell.EDU>
Subject: query: math/computer models of AIDS epidemic
Summary: references sought
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6445
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:37:00 GMT

References are sought on recent work using math methods and/or computer
simulation to model the spread of AIDS.  Reply directly, I'll summarize for 
the net.

Alexander Nakhimovsky
Computer Science Department
Colgate University
Hamilton NY 13346 USA
sasha@csnext.colgate.edu

-- 
Alexander Nakhimovsky
Computer Science Department
Colgate University
Hamilton NY 13346 USA
From: wixer!wixer.cactus.org!sparky@cs.utexas.edu (Timothy Sheridan)
Subject: Re: On The Origin of AIDS
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6417
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 92 18:23:03 GMT

edu>
Organization: Real/Time Communications

This is an interesting theory that I had not seen.
Why were the other populations treated with polio vacine not effected?
Were there different processes used after these three contries..?
Is there any way this theory could be tested or disprooved..?

Timothy Sheridan

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
From: wixer!wixer.cactus.org!sparky@cs.utexas.edu (Timothy Sheridan)
Subject: The Drug Monopoly
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6427
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 92 08:13:37 GMT

I was very disterbed to see the prices of HIV drugs in other countrys is half
or less than what it is in the us.....

Is there any law that prevents un-ethical monopolies from charging so much
for a drug that it literally takes the maximum revinue from the public?

If people have no choice they will spend more than they have to fight....but
should we set the price of life at the maximun of what all you, your friends
and relitives are able beg, barrow or steal ??

There must be some way to nationalize a technology that is exploited by its
owner to the detriment of society......does anyone know of a president??

If somone finds a HIV cure and gets a patent does this entitle them to
everything an infected person will ever own????

Timothy Sheridan

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
From: steve mcnutt <Z1SSM%TTUVM1.BITNET@VM.USC.EDU>
Subject:      antisense oligonucleotides
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6436
Organization: unspecified
Date:         Mon, 9 Nov 92  23:53:10 CST

antisense oligonucleotides to block hiv expression. the most recent article
was from a journal published earlier this year. i have only been able to find
3 or 4 articles, total, on the subject and was wondering if anybody had any
info on it.
     also, when i read the previous note on gamimune-n being used for
pediatric aids cases, i was wondering if anyone knew of any reason why it is
not being tried on adults also?

     thanks for the info!!
     god bless!!!

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
From: Billi Goldberg <bigoldberg@igc.apc.org>
Subject: HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report
Note: Copyright 1992, Dan R. Greening. Non-commercial reproduction allowed.
Archive-Number: 6414
Organization: unspecified
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 92 19:10:35 PST

Single copies of the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report are available free 
from the CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 
20849-6003; telephone 1-800-458-5231. Individuals or organizations can 
be added to the mailing list by writing to Centers for Disease Control, 
OD/OPS/MASO, 1/B49, Mailstop A-22, Atlanta, GA 30333. Confidential 
information, referrals, and educations material on AIDS are available 
from the CDC National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-2437, 1-800-344-7432 
(Spanish access), and 1-800-243-7889 (TTY, deaf access).
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids