HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: backon@vms.huji.ac.il
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Co2 in soda-Good; O2-Stupid
Date: 17 Nov 92 17:56:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

In article <1992Nov13.171647.1@vms.ocom.okstate.edu>, chorley@vms.ocom.okstate.edu writes:
> In article <1992Nov13.120103.12580@hemlock.cray.com>, n3022@cray.com (Jim Knoll) writes:
>> I am wondering if there are any positive or negative effects of having carbon
>> dioxide in pop or soda.  Specifically, it seems that if the body gives off CO2
>> when we exhale, it makes sense that to drink carbonated beverages with
>> CO2 could be less than beneficial to the human body.
>>
>> In place of the CO2, I am wondering if putting oxygen into the pop would
>> be better for the body as it could maybe use the O2 in a beneficial way.
>
> NOOOOOOOO!
> 		I am certain that this is a recipe for stomach ulcers in a big
> way
> 		HCl +O2 ->  HOCl + O.
>
> Who knows, you may generate internal O. free radicals which create the
> euivalent of ozonolysis + cancer in the intestines. Most of the small intestine
> is resistant to cancer despite it being a rapidly regenerating tissue (mucosa)
>
> 	If you start putting HOCl (= household bleach ) down there, who knows
> what will happen; I wouldn't want the lawsuits. Oxygen radicals are used by our
> immune system to kill off bacteria. We need intestinal flora .
>
> All in all ( not counting the fact that someone smoking may instantaneously
> combust his cigarette in the presence of O2 and inhale carbon debris) it's a
> DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB
>
> Idea
>
> Please note: I am a relatively sane second year medical student just getting to
> grips with how much I don't really know.
> 	If you consider this a flame; so be it. But learn some chemistry.
>
> David N. Chorley ( more than just slightly aggravated)


Actually, the  CO2 in soda may have therapeutic value. In 1983, it was
found that CO2 acts as a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (and possible
prostacyclin agonist). I have published a number of articles on this subject
in a number of medical journals. A MEDLINE search will show this. If I'm not
mistaken, the 1983 reference is by Gabrielyan & Amroyan.

The inhibition of thromboxane synthetase would actually *prevent* free radical
formation. By the way, a note I published in GUT showed the value of
thromboxane synthetase inhibitors in treating gastric ulcers. The blood
buffering system adequately compensates for oral ingestion of soda water. This
is *not* the same as would result by respiratory acidosis/alkalosis.

We have used soda water (CO2) plus ginger (another powerful thromboxane
synthetase inhibitor) in treating alcohol and drug addiction as well as in
recommending to all patients leaving the ICCU (cardiac intensive care) at our
teaching hospital.

You may be a second year med student but you've got a lot to learn about
physiology before you post on sci.med.


Josh

Dr. Josh Backon
backon@VMS.HUJI.AC.IL
From: zxia@aris.ss.uci.edu (Zehue Xia)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: American Druggist
Date: 20 Nov 92 01:14:34 GMT
Distribution: sci.med
Organization: University of California, Irvine


	I would like to subscribe two magzines, AMERICAN DRUGGIST and 
SCIENCE, does anybody know that where I can find student discount 
price for these two magzines? Thank you very much. 

Laura
University of California, Irvine
(714) 640-1178
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: schw_mi@pts.mot.com (Mike Schwarz)
Subject: Is circumizing barbaric?
Reply-To: schw_mi@pts.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Communication Systems, Boynton Beach, Florida
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 22:28:16 GMT

I have found the whole discussion amusing.  This very topic rears its head on the
net every so often. I must ask all of you who think this is a 
barbaric practice, three questions.  One, why do you think an very simple procedure
that has been done for centuries is barbaric and in your mind what when make it less
so.  Two, what is gained by not performing the procedure.  Three, are you, yourself circumized.  

I for one, think circumizing a infant is better than circumizing an Adult or an older
child.  My ped told me of several cases in her practice where this had to be done.

Oh, I forgot one question to the Medical Pros, If a man needs to be cath'ed through
the penis or other procedures requiring entry through the penis, is the procedure
more complex in an uncircumized man versus a circumized man.  What damage is caused
by these procedures to the foreskin? 



---
Michael A. Schwarz
A missed place Bronco Fan in Dolphin Country.
Go Broncos

Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdiffin@crc.ac.uk (Dr. M.C. Diffin)
Subject: Re: Pos/Neg Benefits of CO2 in pop (soda)
Keywords: pop
Organization: MRC Human Genome Resource Centre
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 18:29:57 GMT

jk>I am wondering if there are any positive or negative effects of having carbon
jk>dioxide in pop or soda.  Specifically, it seems that if the body gives off CO2
jk>when we exhale, it makes sense that to drink carbonated beverages with
jk>CO2 could be less than beneficial to the human body.

Why?
jk>In place of the CO2, I am wondering if putting oxygen into the pop would
jk>be better for the body as it could maybe use the O2 in a beneficial way.

How?  As we are not loaches, we cannot absorb O2 through the gut.  
What else is it going to do?


-- 
___________________________________________________________________________
Michael Diffin
JANET: mdiffin@uk.ac.mrc-crc    PHONE: +44 (0)345 333111 Pager No. 0406653
INTERNET: mdiffin@mrc-crc.ac.uk
From: 880506s@dragon.acadiau.ca (James R. Skinner)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Prozac and alcohol
Date: 22 Nov 92 00:08:10 GMT
Organization: Acadia University


In article <By0KMD.E2v@world.std.com> rsilver@world.std.com (Richard Silver) writes:
>My wife is trying Prozac for mild depression. The physician said
>no alcohol and was quite adamant. My wife likes a daily glass of
>wine with dinner and asked the pharmacist. He said there is no
>problem mixing alcohol and Prozac. Would someone comment?
>Is there a risk mixing the drugs?

I have been on and off Prozac for over two years now and one of the
reasons that I prefer it over some of the other antidepresants is the
relativly small amount of interaction it has with other drugs.  I havn't
changed my drinking habits much while on it...

-- 

-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------------
        James Robie Skinner        |     Jodrey School of Computer Science        James.Skinner@dragon.acadiau.ca  |  Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------------
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 08:12:54 EST
From: <EWN1@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: porcelain veneers on front teeth

I started seeing a new dentist and he recommended I get a porcelain veneer
to cover a front tooth that has turned gray (because of trauma to the tooth
when I was a kid).  I have a Consumer Reports book on dental issues, and
I looked up veneers in there, so I'm aware of how veneers are done and
some of the problems they can cause (decay under the veneer if it's done
poorly, irritation of the gum).  What I'm interested in is comments from
people on these veneers -- if they've had trouble with them, how long they
last, cost, etc.  (My dentist quoted me a price of $300 -- oof!)

Just in case it matters, I'm 27, and the dentist does *not* think the tooth
needs a root canal.  The tooth *looks* dead, but it seems to have some
vitality in it (though admittedly a good deal less than my other teeth).
It also doesn't hurt or bother me in any other way.
*************************************************************************
 Ellen Newman                     | You can name your own salary here --
 LCS - Library Computing Services | I call mine Fred.
 ewn1@psuvm.psu.edu               |       - taken from a Ziggy cartoon
 ************************************************************************
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein)
Subject: Re: Aids, Inc. (was: RFD Alternative Medicine) 
Organization: Strawman Incorporated
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 16:54:00 GMT

In article <17501@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>In article <1992Nov16.205552.6554@island.COM> green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein) writes:
>
>>
>>I think the real reason you proposed the alternative group is that
>>you don't like controversy when it dares to challenge the party line.
>
>I think you've been around long enough to know I like controversy.
>If you'd read other newsgroups, you'd see that I do also.  I'm
>just getting weary of the same ones coming up again and again,
>and I also want to raise the scientific level of the discussion
>on sci.med.  The alternative stuff is hindering attacting more
>scientists to sci.med.

So does MD = scientist? I think not.

Okeydokey. I'll dispense with the alternative medicine quackery (for this
post, at least :-), and move on to something that I'm sure is totally
non-controversial. 

I just finished reading a most interesting interview with Jon Rappaport,
author of "AIDS, INC". I have not yet read the book, but the interview
raises some disturbing issues. He argues that AZT is a poison which 
attacks the bone marrow, among other things. But the real scandal is that
the FDA, which licensed the drug in 1987 was aware of the danger. About
20% of the people in the licensing trial had to have multiple red-cell
transfusions because their blood was so badly damaged. They also had
evidence that AZT is a carcinogen. But if you can promote the
fiction that AIDS is 100% fatal, so what if its toxic.

Rappaport says that information on the licensing trials obtained through 
the Freedom of Information Act showed that the licensing trial was a 
fraud. The trial became unblinded. People were comparing polls to see
who was taking the placebo and who was taking AZT. They began sharing AZT.
In patients' files, adverse reactions to AZT were crossed out months later.

So after the FDA licensed the drug they began tracking the people who
were taking it. It turned out that they were dying at much higher rates
than during the trial. That suggests fraud. 

In this interview Rappaport also talked about similar licensing scams
for neuroleptic drugs. They cause a form of brain damage known as
tardive dyskinesia. There are an estimated 38 million cases of
tardive dyskinesia globally, all caused by drugs licensed by the FDA.

There is nothing inherently wrong with "scientific" medicine, but its
benefits are overblown, and I don't like to see it used as a club
to squelch other ideas.
-- 
******************************************************************************
Robert Greenstein           Orthodoxy is the death of intelligence.            
green@srilanka.island.com            - Bertrand Russell
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Summary of evidence for homeopathy
Date: 18 Nov 92 18:04:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Nov18.180429.21006
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <BSIMON.92Nov18073901@elvis.stsci.edu> bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
>Homeopathic Treatment of Diarrhea in Children, Deborah Gordon M.D. and
>Michael Carlston M.D., Univ. of Cal. at San Fran. School of Medicine
>
>Treatment of Accute Childhood Diarrhea with Homeopathic Medicine: A
>Randomized Clinical Trial in Nicaragua, Jennifer Jacobs M.D. MPH,
>Univ. of Wash. School of Public Health

These ought to be interesting.  I wonder what their treatment and that
of the "controls" will be.  Probably standard enough (electrolyte/complex-
carbohydrate solution) that the studies will be meaningless.  If this
weren't the case, these folks would undoubtedly be sued for negligence/
malpractice.  Maybe it's easier to do a study like this in Nicaragua where
controls are looser.  I worry about the kids, though.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: carl.camurca@travel.com (Carl Camurca) 
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Can't Touch This
Date: 20 Nov 92 11:00:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Travel Online / St. Louis Online - St. Louis, MO
Reply-To: carl.camurca@travel.com (Carl Camurca) 

FDL>One of our local news channels here in Houston is running a segment
FDL>on local women who are HIV+. Last night one woman described how she
FDL>found out--she was going to have some sort of nose operation
FDL>and the morning she was scheduled to go in, her doctor
FDL>called and said, Nope, Don't bother. I'm not going to do it.
FDL>Turns out she had tested positive. This was surprising to me,
FDL>and raised some questions.

FDL>Was her experience the exception or the rule? In other words,
FDL>what percentage of surgeons do this type of screening? I'm not
FDL>interested in the ethics, pros and cons, etc.--we've seen
FDL>those discussions in this newsgroup. What I'm interested to know is
FDL>the percentage of Drs. who do actively screen out patients on this
FDL>basis. e.g. (Of the ten surgeons who work here, 1 won't see HIV
FDL>patients. Or 9 won't)

FDL>Do clinics or hospitals have policies on this, or is it up to the
FDL>individual doctor?

Isn't there the Oath of Hippocrate ?!?

Sue the Doctor!!!

FDL>Duane Franklet

Angry, Carl.

 * OLX 2.1 TD * He isnt dead; He's electroencephalographically challenged
                           
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: M20614@mwvm.mitre.org (Hugh Pritchard)
Subject: Re: Eyes
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 09:35:26 GMT

In article <10292320.70766.5195@kcbbs.gen.nz>
ChrisG@kcbbs.gen.nz (Chris Gin) writes:
 
>What do doctors check for when they examine eyes? Do they just check
>that the pupils grow and contract with changes in light?
 
No, much more.
 
Pupils being equally-sized, round, and reactive to light are only
some of the things they check (pupils being unequal in size, off-round,
or unresponsive to light may be symptoms of some neurological problem).
 
They also check
   -- how well you can read the eye chart,
   -- how high the pressure is inside your eye,
   -- your eyelids and conjuctiva,
   -- how far to the side you can notice things while looking straight ahead,
   -- the insides of your eye (including your cornea, iris, lens, and retina).
 
None of this hurts.
 
**  Hugh Pritchard,  hapritch@mitre.org,  703/883-6616
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: parson_r@cubldr.colorado.edu (Robert Parson)
Subject: Smallpox transmission, Syphilis Origin
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 05:04:49 GMT

Two questions aboutthe history of infectious diseases

1. How long can (or rather, could) the smallpox virus survive outside a
 living host?
 Context: in a famous incident, General Jeffrey Amherst, commander of the
 British forces in the Colonies during the 1763 Pontiac rebellion, suggested
 to one of his subordinates that smallpox-infected blankets be distributed
 to the rebellious Indians. This is well-documented, but there is no evidence
 that the plan was actually carried out other than the fact that smallpox 
 did break out among these Indians some time later. According to a couple of
 Infectious Diseases encyclopedias I checked, smallpox _could_ be transmitted
 via bedding and clothing, but these books were discussing transmission in
 hospitals where it wouldn't take long. Amherst's plan must have required
 several days, I would think (collect the blankets, transfer them to middlemen,
 carry them out to the besieging tribes.) Could the virus have survived in the
 blankets for that long?
 (It is possible, I suppose, that the people carrying the blankets became 
 infected themselves and transmitted the disease.)

2. Has any consensus been reached about whether syphilis originated in
 the New World? Those same encyclopedias were noncommittal on this.

 Robert
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: What homing device does a virus use?
Date: 16 Nov 1992 09:49:48 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: im4u.cs.utexas.edu

-*----
There are several viruses (some, but not all, strains of herpes,
HPV, etc.) that cause sores or growths on the skin *around* the
mouth or the skin *around* the genitalia, though not in the mouth
itself or on the genitalia directly.  In the case of a virus that 
directly infects the mouth or genitalia, I can understand the 
specificity as a preference for tissue type.  But in the other
case, how does a virus distinguish skin *around* the genitalia
(for example) from skin around the belly button or around the ear?

Russell
Organization: Doctoral student, English, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: sci.med
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 15:45:36 -0500 
From: Ken Zuroski <kz08+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: safe headphone use?

Howdy:

Hope this isn't a FAQ.

I don't like to wear headphones because my ears seem to be especially
sensitive to 'em; even if I use them with the volume turned quite low
my ears still ache a bit after extended use. I've found a pair of headphones
that seem to work better than most others I've tried, however; I can wear
them for many hours and not feel any ill affects. Now I'm gunshy, however--
I don't want to damage my ears through extended use of Walkman listening.

So my questions:

1. If I keep the volume turned down low enough so that outside ambient sounds
mask the music to a large degree (in other words, I can only use the 
headphones in very quiet places), does this mean that my eardrums (&
accompanying aural equipment) are being subjected to more "stress" from
the ambient sounds than from the music, or is some other more complicated
physical mechanism at work hear? What I'm thinking is this: as long as
I keep the music low enough to be masked by natural ambient sounds, which
they're used to, then they won't be hurt by music that is at a level less
than that. Again, I wouldn't be able to hear music with that ambient level,
but remove it by choosing a quiet place to work and now the low-level music
can be heard.

2. Do you think it makes any difference if the headphones speakers are not
placed directly over the ears, but instead are placed a bit forward on the
head, a bit toward the face? With this position I can still hear the music
if I turn up the volume a bit, but for some reason my ears don't get as
tired as quickly--it's much more comfortable.

The worse headphones for me are the so-called "ear buds"--I can only wear
them for about 15 minutes before my ears begin to ache. I wouldn't attempt
to wear headphones at all except that I have to spend many solitary hours
alone studying and listening to music during that times boosts my productivy
to a large degree. 

Thanks for any information, anectodal or otherwise.

Ken Zuroski

---
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ken Zuroski
Department of English
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
kz08@cmu.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: What homing device does a virus use?
Date: 17 Nov 92 15:14:33 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1e8fusINNqmc@im4u.cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
>-*----
>There are several viruses (some, but not all, strains of herpes,
>HPV, etc.) that cause sores or growths on the skin *around* the
>mouth or the skin *around* the genitalia, though not in the mouth
>itself or on the genitalia directly.  In the case of a virus that 
>directly infects the mouth or genitalia, I can understand the 
>specificity as a preference for tissue type.  But in the other
>case, how does a virus distinguish skin *around* the genitalia
>(for example) from skin around the belly button or around the ear?
>
The same way that plant seeds distinguish soil from rocks: they don't,
but there are so many of them.








-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: john@anasazi.com (John R. Moore)
Subject: Low IgM - What does it mean
Organization: Anasazi, Inc.  Phoenix, Arizona USA
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 13:57:13 GMT

What would be the effect of consistently low (1/2 min norm) levels of
Immunoglobin-M? Are there any known negative effects? Any treatment if so?
-- 
John Moore NJ7E, 7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253  (602-951-9326)
john@anasazi.com ncar!noao!asuvax!anasaz!john anasaz!john@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
 - - If a field of study has the word "science" in it - it isn't a science - -
 - - Support ALL of the bill of rights, INCLUDING the 2nd amendment! - -
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Deprenyl
Date: 17 Nov 92 18:10:34 GMT
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <1992Nov16.235730.2369@cnsvax.uwec.edu> nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye) writes:
>Deprenyl is an irreversible inhibitor of MAO-B purported to slow the
>progression of Parkinson's disease.  It as been in use in Europe for
>many years as an adjunct in the symptomatic treatment of PD.  The
>Europeans have, I am told, not been terribly excited about the drug.
>The studies that have purported to show slowing of the progression of
>the disease have methodological problems.  It is usually given twice
>a day.  A month's worth costs around $100.

Isn't there an ongoing study (whatitsname? DATATOP?) which is looking
at the efficacy of l-deprenyl (selegiline) and Vitamin E in slowing the
progression of the disease?  I understood that intermediate analysis of
the data showed a modest difference in the selegiline group, but that
it wasn't obvious yet whether this was due to a therapeutic effect as
opposed to a disease-modifying effect.  Gordon is probably undoubtedly
more up to date on this than I would ever be.

>My question/suggestion:  since it irreversibly inhibits MAO-B and has
>a half life of well over a month, why not give only two tablets a
>month?  That is, presuming that one thinks it should be given at all
>if it's efficacy hasn't been proven conclusively.  It sure would be a
>heck of a lot cheaper.  Thoughts?

There are a couple of issues here.  _Which_ has a 1/2 life of over a
month?  MAO-B?  I'm pretty sure that selegiline is metabolized and
excreted much more quickly.  Still, it is common even in antidepressant
therapy with non-specific MAOIs to give the drug daily.  MAO inhibition
increases over time, and is rarely complete with daily dosing, and of
course, the enzyme is being continually resynthesized.  According to
Bob Yazz, one or two tablets a month is part of the Durk 'n Sandy Shaw
(Life Extension) recipe for a longer life (for what that's worth!)

One issue with selegiline is that it is metabolized to l-methamphetamine
and l-amphetamine, both of which achieve significant levels, and these
both have effects on dopamine reuptake and release.  So, it's hard to
separate any l-DOPA-sparing effects due to its MAO inhibition from the
effects mediated by the amphetamines from the long-term effects
mediated (possibly) by slowing the oxidation of MAO-B substrates which
are converted to neurotoxic substances.  Maybe selegiline has a modest
acute effect, but its protective effects could be evidenced by less
frequent dosing?  I don't think we really know yet!

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