HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.bio
Subject: Re: "Falling" Asleep
Date: 17 Dec 92 19:28:58 GMT
Reply-To: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Followup-To: sci.bio
Organization: COMANDOS Project, Glesga Yoonie

geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) wrote:
> RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg) writes:
>> Does anyone know what causes the sensation (when just falling asleep)
>> of sudden literal falling, followed by a startle reaction that wakes
>> you right up?
> It is a myoclonic jerking that originates in the brain.  It is common
> to humans and most animals.  It is normal and portends nothing at all
> psychologically.

A question that comes up over and over again.  Gordon must have answered it
ten times at least...  but (and this is why I'm redirecting this to sci.bio)
what the heck is it FOR?  Anything this widespread ought to have some
physiological function and evolutionary rationale, surely?

(Do you really mean "most animals"?  I've seen cats and dogs do it, wouldn't
be surprised if other mammals were the same, but frogs, houseflies and sea
anemones...???)

-- 
--  Jack Campin    room G092, Computing Science Department, Glasgow University,
17 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland   TEL: 041 339 8855 x6854 (work)
INTERNET: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk or via nsfnet-relay.ac.uk    FAX: 041 330 4913
BANG!net: via mcsun and uknet     BITNET: via UKACRL    UUCP: jack@glasgow.uucp
From: magdi@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Magdi N Azer)
Subject: Reasons for my wife's fatigue.
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 03:03:48 GMT

	My wife is 28, and in rather good health.  She eats a balanced diet,
and participates in aerobics 3 x per week.  DUirng the day, she is at home
with our 18 MO.  For the last six months, she has been rather tired, and the
situation has been particularly bad as of late.  WHat I would like to know is
what kind of tests should she have run to find possible causes.  I was
thinking that a full blood workup and a urinalysis might be a good place to
start, but I wanted the opinions of others.  Let me give some background:

	1) She had a thyroid test is June, because her mother has thyroid
	   problems.
	2) She usually gets about 8 hours of sleep per night.
	3) THe last several months she has had post-menstral cramps
	4) She drinks about 2-3 pots of coffe per day.
	5) she has never smoked, and rarely drinks.
	6) Recently she has noticed that her eyes have been bloodshot.
	7) THree of her four grandparents have died of cancer or leukemia.
	8) I am finishing my Ph.D, and there is a great deal of stress in our
	   lives regarding when we will be done, and moving.
	9) Since she is not working, our financial situation is somewhat tight,
	   but we have enough money to meet expenses for another 8 months,
	   id=f we have to
	10) SHe frequently does breast self-exams, and has not found any
            abnormalities.
	11) We both have a sweet tooth, and consume more sugar than we should
        12) We have had a very wet, rainy, damp fall, and she has been
            confiend to the house with our son.  This is exacerbated by the
            fact that she is very much a sunshine lover and loves to be
            outdoors.

			1G

	My questions are as follows:  

		ions are as follows:


	My questions are as follows:

Aside for envirnment, stress related to my work. What are other possible
causes for her fatigue.
2) What should we look for when she sees the doctor?
3) Where would be a good place rto start testing.  Are blood tests and a
urinalysis a good starting point.  Our doctor has the obnoxious habit of
attributing almost everything to stress, but we would like to test things


One final note.  This morning, while she was blow drying her hair, she almost
passed out. 

Thanks for your assistance.

Magdi N. Azer
magdi@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: amantadine question and observation
Date: 17 Dec 92 06:33:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Dec17.063336.27766
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <1992Dec15.221858.140@spdcc.com> dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) writes:
>Because it's ineffective; it only works against strains of influenza A.
>On the other hand, if someone comes down with flu-like symptoms in a
>household, it's a good bet that it's the flu.
          ^
          |
of people who just had the flu,

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Body Temperature
Date: 16 Dec 92 16:17:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: athena.1992Dec16.161742.8548
Organization: AI Programs, University of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Dec16.094919.4995@visual.spk.wa.us> pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (Peggy Wageman) writes:
>What is the normal body temperature?  I had always thought it was 98.6, but
>I heard recently that there is a range, and that 98.6 was merely in the range.
>Could anybody explain this to me.  Thanks,  Peggy Wageman

The number 98.6 sounds more precise than it is.  98.6 F = 37.0 C.
That doesn't mean it's accurate to a tenth of a degree.
More that it's closer to 37 C than 36 C or 38 C.

-- 
:-  Michael A. Covington     internet mcovingt@uga.cc.uga.edu :   Verbum caro
:-  Artificial Intelligence Programs       phone 706 542-0358 :    factum est
:-  The University of Georgia                fax 706 542-0349 :  et habitavit
:-  Athens, Georgia 30602-7415 U.S.A.     amateur radio N4TMI :   in nobis...
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: eepee@polaris.utu.fi (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki)
Subject: Re: osteophytes
Organization: University of Turku, Finland
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 12:50:58 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.174831.18077@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> jslm_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jonathan Schulman) writes:
>I was told that my grandfather had taken some kind of test with either a dye
>or radiation marker that went to cancer or arthritis. It went to a spot, but
>the only way to find out what it was, was with an X-ray. The doctor told
>him it was either arthritis or an osterophyte (sp?). It came out to be 
>arthrities, but what is an osteophyte?
>Thanks.

In osteoarthrosis, joint cartilage erodes, and a bony outgrowth occurs 
adjacent to the eroded cartilage. This is called an osteophyte.

/ep
From: RSE32195@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: biomedical engineering
Date: 13 Dec 1992 09:55:46 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

To anyone out there paying attention:

I am a senior (undergrad) mechanical engineering student, and am planning
to attend graduate school in biomedical engineering.  I am in the process
of narrowing down the list of schools that I will be applying to, and 
would like to hear any insight that anyone has about graduate biomedical
engineering programs.  So, if you'd like to plug your school (or give me a
warning), or if you just have something to say, please do so.  I'm 
primarily interested in biomechanics, implants, and biomaterials.
Thanks!

Stefan Radloff
University of Tulsa
rse32195@vax1.utulsa.edu
From: pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (Peggy Wageman)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Chronic Bronchitis & Asthma
Date: 17 Dec 92 09:43:20 GMT
Organization: The Visual Market - Spokane, WA

Are the symptoms of chronic bronchitis and asthma the same?  And if they are
how are they diagnosed?  Are the medication the same for both?  Any information
is appreciated.  Thanks,  Peggy Wageman
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: yazz@locus.com (Bob Yazz)
Subject: Re: Getting off Xanax
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 21:27:06 GMT

I wrote:

| The unsolicited testimonies about what a wretched drug Xanax is
| continue unabated here on sci.med.  And notice that none of the
| other benzodiazepines seem to be generating the same kind of stories.

mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline) writes:

| Ask around, there are plenty of people who are quick to bad mouth
| Valium.

Mark, I haven't seen a single withdrawal-from-hell story about Valium
here on sci.med, and I've seen loads of them about Xanax.  Not to suggest
anything silly like Valium lacks addictive potential.  I'm just saying
Xanax is specifically worse.  Much worse.  I originally based that opinion
on conversations with a 12-stepping friend, and have had it backed up by
story after story here on the net.

| Prescribing docs have better sources of information.  There is nothing
| wrong with Xanax.

With all due respect, I don't think you know what you're talking about.
Let me be more clear.  I think that those who specialize in addiction
recovery (some docs, some not) generally know much more than prescribing
physicians do about this whole issue.  I think that's unfortunate, but I
also think it's true.

| We [ prescribing docs ] should prescribe Ativan?  Takes a slighter
| higher milligram
| dose, but duration of action, potential for rebound/withdrawal
| phenomena are the same as Xanax.  

How about duration and severity of that withdrawal?  I don't have an answer
for you.  A lot of people seem to think that short duration of action is
what's responsible for withdrawal, so maybe all short duration anxiolytics
are the problem.  But we also know that Xanax, as opposed to the other
benzos, works better in Panic Disorder, so there's got to be something
different about it.

I suggest you find a colleague whose opinion you trust (this here is
just "the net", after all), whose specialty is in addiction recovery,
and ask his or her opinion of Xanax in comparison to the other benzos.
You may change your prescribing practices as a result.

| Its almost never correct to say never. 

Absolutely.  (:-{)>

== Bob Yazz ==
-- 

Welcome to Sci.med -- where-school-of-thought bashing is as old as
sickness itself.
From: ark@alice.att.com (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Peter Breggin, _Toxic Psychiatry_ (Q)
Date: 16 Dec 92 13:34:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: alice.24417
Reply-To: ark@alice.UUCP ()
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ

In article <1992Dec15.155632.21024@athena.mit.edu> jgnassi@athena.mit.edu (John Angelo Gnassi) writes:

> If a patient with a psychiatric disorder is lucid, evidences
> understanding of the situation, is not in immediate danger of harming
> self or others, they can walk out AMA - Against Medical Advice.

Does anyone else remember the article written by the journalist who
walked into a hospital one day, claiming to hear voices, with the
intent of seeing what happened and writing about it?

He told the doctor(s) that he heard voices in his head saying things
like `Thud.' in a normal tone of voice.  Any other questions he answered
truthfully.  After a while he said the voices had stopped.  At no time
did he do anything to suggest that he might harm himself or others.

What he found:

	Even though he continued to behave as a journalist,
	and would have admitted what he was doing had anyone
	asked, no one did.  They did make notations in his
	records, though, saying things like `Patient engages
	in writing behavior.'

	He had a very hard time getting out.  Indeed, if I remember
	correctly, the only reason he was let out at all was that
	before going in, he made sure several other people knew
	what he was up to so that he could bring them in to testify
	on his behalf.

This may, of course, be an isolated incident.  Can someone point me at
the article?
-- 
				--Andrew Koenig
				  ark@europa.att.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Physician's Incomes
Date: 16 Dec 92 22:29:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <92351.153826DGS4@psuvm.psu.edu>, DGS4@psuvm.psu.edu writes...
>In article <BzBHyG.4vJ@acsu.buffalo.edu>, oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy
>Brown) says:
>>
>>In article <gdavis.724433998@griffin>, gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu (Gary Davis)
>>writes...
>>>
> 
>What do you mean by socialized medicine?  Do you have any evidence
>that physicians in Germany, Canada, France, Britain, etc. are mediocre?
> 

Nope, but I've seen plenty of civil service workers.  In these 
systems everyone gets the same increases/benefits whether they 
perform an adequate job or an exceptional job.

So after being in a system like this for awhile, the top 
performers figure out that its stupid to knock themselves silly 
to do a good job when they get paid as much to do an adequate 
job.

I think this kind of system encourages mediocrity.

- Peggy -
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: marshall.1@nd.edu (Amy Marie Marshall)
Subject: Moving to S. Calif
Followup-To: sci.med
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:44:24 GMT

I will be moving to the Riverside/San Bernardino area with my husband in
May.  I would appreciate any information on the area--i.e., how to handle
the smog, etc.  We would like to live in the mountains if at all possible.

Any info on the area you might have would be greatly appreciated.  Please
email me if possible.

Amy Marie Marshall
Univeristy of Notre Dame
Dept of Economics and Office of Univ. Computing
marshall.1@nd.edu
From: brandon@caldonia.nlm.nih.gov (Brandon Brylawski)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Strep Throat
Date: 16 Dec 92 18:16:46 GMT
Organization: National Library of Medicine
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
: In article <1992Dec14.222759.21149@unlv.edu>, robert@unlv.edu (Robert Cray) writes:
: > How can you tell the diference between a bad cold and strep throat?
: > I've been told that strep needs to be treated lest it damage the heart,
: > however I feel rather foolish showing up at the doctors office with what
: > is in all probability a cold.  Does strep really need to be treated, or is
: > the heart thing a rare occurance?
: 
: Not an MD...
: 
: However, every case of strep throat I've had has involved an _extremely_
: red, sore throat, with or without white blotches, a fever, and a general
: feeling of having been run over by a bus.  No mucus, no cough.
: 
: Colds, on the other hand, give me slight fevers, lots of mucus, and
: a mild sore throat.
: 

I see a lot of sore throats in my practice and have discussed this matter
with colleagues. I use the following criteria: Strep throats tend to have
fever (100.0 degrees or higher), swollen neck lymph nodes (glands) which
are often sore to the touch, and a bright red throat with whitish dots or
streaks (called exudates). A stuffy nose is not common.
  If someone comes to my clinic and has none of these three signs, I do
not culture, as the chances that they have anything but a virus is very low.
If they have exudates, or fever and swollen nodes, I will generally obtain at
least a quick strep test. If they have all three, I will assume they have strep
and begin treatment right away ;although many viruses can cause all three 
symptoms, I believe it prudent to treat whatever a culture may show. I obtain
a culture in the last instance only if the patient has a history of recurrent 
sore throat or an unusually long-lasting sore throat, whereupon I also test
for Mononucleosis.

Brandon Brylawski
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.nutrition
From: silver@fraser.sfu.ca (Craig Silver)
Subject: Re: Vitamin C
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 17:32:21 GMT

dabbott@augean.eleceng.adelaide.edu.AU (Derek Abbott) writes:


>I've found that megadosing myself with vit C can stop my cold
>_if I get in there early_ and nip it in the bud.

I can confirm that as it does the same for my family and me. 

>However, once the cold sets in, I find that vit C actually prolongs
>my cold. It seems better to let my body sweat it out unaided.

Haven't noticed that, although it doesn't seem to do any *good* once our
colds have set in.

>The vit C prolongs the cold, but keeps it on "medium." But without
>the C, the cold gets more violent but geos away quicker.

>          If you reckon it's real, any theories as to why?

I just finished a report all about how much vitamin C to take.  With
regards to any theories as to why it helps shoo away colds and reduces
the severity of the symptoms, I found nothing.  Actually, I did find 
that a lot of scientists have found nothing.
-- 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Craig Silver	           Computer Science at Simon Fraser University
silver@sfu.ca (Internet)   Burnaby, B.C., Canada
From: time@coos.dartmouth.edu (Susan M. Kennedy)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Pertussis(whooping Cough) outbreak in New England
Date: 14 Dec 92 17:27:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.1992Dec14.172712.6852
Distribution: na
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

A number of years (aprox. 10) have gone by since the big scare about pertussis
vacine reactions started (to my knowledge), and there is now a large pool of
unprotected kids out there, if you have a child between 3mo and 5 who are not
immunized you need to be aware that we in the NE area are haveing a confirmed
mini-epidemic which is very likely to spread over the holidays.  This is
potentially deadly in 3mo. to 3yr range and very unpleasant for older children.
If your infant has been contact with children with persistant coughs or has
symptoms(its a cough which results in vomiting and/or choking condition with,
a sometimes, but not always whooping sound on inhilation), especially those
unimmunize infants, See your DR. immediatelly, it is treatable with
erythromysin(sp).

Susan smk@mac.dartmouth.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: t35123n@taltta.hut.fi (Yoghurt (Tapio Vorlund))
Subject: Re: Peter Breggin, _Toxic Psychiatry_ (Q)
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 12:53:41 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.014655.2269@ucbeh.san.uc.edu> egf48542@ucbeh.san.uc.edu writes:
>
>	In the August 27th, 1992 "New England Journal of Medicine" there is a
>small scale study (which needs to be replicated and confirmed) of 13 persons
>with schizophrenia who underwent high-resolution MRI scans.  They had
>previously been assessed for their degree of thought disorder.  The scans
>revealed that all had brain tissue loss in as section of the left temporal
>lobe.  The degree of tissue loss correlated DIRECTLY and STRONGLY with the
>degree of thought disorder.  Some persons who have had temporal lobe
>abnormalities such as temporal lobe epilepsy have symptoms that mimic
>schizophrenia (visual and auditory hallucinations, etc.).

     Just a few questions cause I'm interested

     Do the neurolepts repair the loss of brain tissue or is
it permanent ? I guess that if the loss of brain tissue is due to
loss of neurons, it will be permanent.
          
     Does the use of neurolepts stop the loss of brain tissue or
do brains continue to "shrink" even if the patient has no positive
symptoms like hallucinations ? Do neurolepts only help with the
symptoms and not the disease ?

     What are the newest predictions for patients diagnosed with
schitzophrenia. I have read some books and they were very pessimistic.
Even if the patient uses his medications he will propably not
be capable to work and live a normal life. And even if he will,
his capabilities will be in a "lower level". Is this old information ?

 T{ss{p{ sitten se piste siknature
 .....  .   ..... . .....   .   . :...: ..... .     .   .  .   . ... 
   :   ...  :...: : :   :    . .  :   : :...: :     :   :  ::. : :  :
   :  .   . :     : :...:     .   :...: :  :  :.... :...:  : ::: :..:
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: eepee@polaris.utu.fi (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki)
Subject: Re: Strep Throat
Organization: University of Turku, Finland
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 12:36:32 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.101921.1@vms.ocom.okstate.edu> chorley@vms.ocom.okstate.edu writes:
>In article <1992Dec16.122908.21648@polaris.utu.fi>, eepee@polaris.utu.fi (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki) writes:
>> Inadequately treated strep throat (no antibiotics, not enough rest..) may
>> present a risk of a myocardial infection and thus should be taken seriously.
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Point of clarification: the sequelae due to strep throat are not due to a
>myocardial infection, but an autoimmune (rheumatic) response which destroys
>heart valves.

Oh? Chlamydia pneumoniae are more potent in doing this, and even that has not
been proven yet. 

>	Indiscriminate use of penicillin will eventually select genetically for
>penicillinase producing strep. sp. which will require more expensive drugs suc

Hence the culture recommended.

>Doctors will be informed of instances of penicillinase resistant strep

Never heard of penicillinase resistant streptococcus.

>> given that one is an otherwise healthy individual, even streptococcal infec
>> will leave no permanent harm,

> {not always}

Of course not, but I thought it was self-evident.

/ep
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: Grateful Med
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 17:33:24 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.170644.8230@alw.nih.gov> ramon@helix.nih.gov (Ramon J. Hontanon) writes:
>Someone in our lab used to access the MedLine library, and he speaks
>of a program called GRATEFUL MED that he used.
>- Does anybody know anything at all about this program?
>- Where can I get it. Is it public domain or commercial?
>Any experiences (direct or indirect) are appreciated.

It's produced by the NLM of the NIH and exists in versions for the Mac and
PC.  The software is available for a very nominal fee (of course, the MEDLARS
service costs money--Grateful Med is just a front-end to MEDLARS.)

I'm sure the responsible person is somewhere in your (larger)
organization.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: julien@skcla.monsanto.com
Subject: Re: Body Temperature
Organization: Searle, Skokie, IL
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 09:13:29 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.094919.4995@visual.spk.wa.us>, pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (Peggy Wageman) writes:
> What is the normal body temperature?  I had always thought it was 98.6, but
> I heard recently that there is a range, and that 98.6 was merely in the range.
> Could anybody explain this to me.  Thanks,  Peggy Wageman

When I bought a thermometer, the insert with the instructions(which most people
ignore) explained this and actually gave a range. Also, your body temperature
varies throughout the day. Try taking your temperature when you first get up,
and then throughout the day. From this, you can determine what your average
body temperature is. You'll be suprised that it could vary by almost 2 degrees.

Speaking of body temperatures, a guy here where I work has an average
temperature of 96. Mine is alittle on the low side. In fact, when I got sick,
my temperature dropped to either 91 or 92. The doctor actually checked it twice
with two different thermometers.
From: ark@alice.att.com (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: aids testing and insurance
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:28:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: alice.24441
Reply-To: ark@alice.UUCP ()
Distribution: world
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ

In article <1992Dec17.195035.543@news.wesleyan.edu> RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg) writes:

> Interesting.   Wasn't there a Privacy Act in about 1969 or something like that
> which guarantees me access to any database information kept by some third party 
> about myself?  I oughta look it up.

I'd appreciate hearing what you find.  I suspect that any such act
specifically exempts medical records.
-- 
				--Andrew Koenig
				  ark@europa.att.com
Newsgroups: sci.med