HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: km@ky3b.pgh.pa.us (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Date: 18 Dec 92 23:32:47 GMT
Organization: KY3B - Vax Pittsburgh, PA

In article <dnsurber.724007610@node_26400>, dnsurber@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (Douglas N. Surber) writes:
|> Your point seems to be that one pound of fat is the equivalent of some
|> fixed number of calories, thus if one eats so many extra calories, he
|> will gain so many extra pounds.

Yup. 3500, if I remember correctly.

-km
From: stpeters@crd.ge.com (Dick St.Peters)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Occasional "brownouts".
Summary: Epilepsy is not a mental illness
Date: 18 Dec 92 00:39:58 GMT
Reply-To: stpeters@crd.ge.com
Organization: GE Corporate R&D, Schenectady, NY


In article 528@news.wesleyan.edu, RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg) writes:
> > >As far as I know there is no history of epilepsy or other mental
> > >illness in the family.                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >  ^^^^^^^                                             ^^^^^
> > Epilepsy is not a mental illness
> Since then I have been in e-mail correspondence with someone who'd hoped to get
> me to retract this statement.

Thank you for not backing down.  The solution to prejudice against the
mentally ill is not to toss those of us with epilepsy in as extra
fodder for the bigots.  We face enough standalone prejudice of our own.

Seizures are a malfunction of the brain, discrete events of short
duration caused by some physiological damage to the organ, damage that
can often be identified and that can sometimes be surgically removed.
The damage can also be the *result* of surgery.

In my case, the damage was caused by a cerebral hemorrhage and
subsequent surgery.  It is plainly visible using CT or MRI, which show
a void - filled with scar tissue, actually - with an irregular shape
on the bottom but crisp straight edges left by the scalpel at the top.

Surgeons do not operate on the mind; epilepsy is not a mental illness.
This is a medical issue, not a philosophical one.

Now, about all those "brain damaged" remarks I keep seeing ... :-)
---
Dick St.Peters
GE Medical Systems, New Berlin, WI  stpeters@med.ge.com (temporary)
GE Corporate R&D, Schenectady, NY   stpeters@crd.ge.com (permanent & forwarded)
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Subject: Allergy Maps
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 18:39:45 GMT

Hello,

Do maps exist of the United States that plot general levels of various
allergens?  Included would be pollen (under various categories), dust,
mold spores, as well as certain air pollutants.  I would assume that
such maps have been constructed for allergy research purposes and might
be found in refereed journals.

Of course, I realize that there can exist very small areas that can be
substantially different than the surrounding area.  But I am looking for
data which indicates the minimum background levels *expected* for any
location.

Thanks.

Jon Noring

-- 

Charter Member of the INFJ Club.

Now, if you're just dying to know what INFJ stands for, be brave, e-mail me,
and I'll send you some information.  It WILL be worth the inquiry, I think.

=============================================================================
| Jon Noring          | noring@netcom.com        | I VOTED FOR PEROT IN '92 |
| JKN International   | IP    : 192.100.81.100   | Support UNITED WE STAND! |
| 1312 Carlton Place  | Phone : (510) 294-8153   | "The dogs bark, but the  |
| Livermore, CA 94550 | V-Mail: (510) 417-4101   |  caravan moves on."      |
=============================================================================
Who are you?  Read alt.psychology.personality!  That's where the action is.
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: New Migraine Drug???
Date: 11 Dec 92 22:48:45 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Dec5.031852.2655@cnsvax.uwec.edu> nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye) writes:
> 
>As far as I am concerned, a more significant breakthrough in abortive
>therapy for migraines is the availability of DHE-45 in an inhaler.  We
>get this compounded by a pharmacy in Florida (Thayer's in Orlando).  It's
>slick.  A tip of the hat to Gordon, who put me on to them.
>-- 

Sandoz tells me that they are soon going to have the DHE nasal spray
also.  I suspect it will be as effective as Sumatriptin in most
patients at only a fraction of the cost.


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: rdm@cbnews.cb.att.com (robert.d.marcus)
Subject: Re: Milk is not a liquid?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 12:45:39 GMT

From "Man's Presumptuous Brain", by A.T.W. Simeons, M.D., Dutton, 1960:

	...Milk produces hard stools not because of any intrinsic property,
	but only on account of an erroneous modern cortical conclusion.
	The cortex does not know that cow's milk behaves like a solid in
	the human intestine... The cortex registers the drinking of a glass
	of milk as fluid intake and therefore resists the body's demand
	for more water.  It represses the natural thirst, which calls for
	at least the same amount of water... If every glass of milk were
	topped with an equal or greater quantity of water, a hardening of 
	the stool would not occur.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: marco@sdf.lonestar.org (Steve Giammarco)
Subject: Re: aids testing and insurance
Organization: Best lil' ol' Pubnix in Texas
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 12:31:35 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.104956.517@news.wesleyan.edu> RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg) writes:
>In <168BA783F.M20614@mwvm.mitre.org> M20614@mwvm.mitre.org writes:
>>  
>> So, you CAN get tested for AIDS by applying for life insurance.
>
>You sure can.  Isn't that how Magic Johnson learned that he was HIV+?
>
>BTW, when I applied for TIAA life insurance (the co. that handles college &
>university faculty pensions & insurance) they wanted to test me for AIDS.  In
>fact, they were *INTENT* on sending someone TO MY HOUSE to give me a blood
>test.  I told them I'd be happy to go to my doctor for a blood test, or even to
>go to THEIR doctor for a blood test, but that I didn't particularly want some
>travelling insurance "nurse" coming to my house & pulling some kind of
>phlebotomy kit out of the trunk of the ca4r (sterile?) to poke my veins for
>blood.  They cancelled my application.
>
>------------------------
>Ruth Ginzberg <rginzberg@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
>Philosophy Department;Wesleyan University;USA

You should also know they probably made a database entry that notes that 
you were turned down for coverage for refusal to test.  Watch for this 
if you should apply for insurance in the future. BTW: The odds are that
the phlebotomy kit was _TOTALLY_ sterile. As sterile as you'd find in
an ambulance taking you to the hospital, Ruth. If you refuse to test, that's
one thing. To blame your cancellation on an irrational fear of kit sterility,
is another matter entirely.

-- 
Steve Giammarco/5330 Peterson Lane/Dallas TX 75240
marco@sdf.lonestar.org
loveyameanit.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Peter Breggin, _Toxic Psychiatry_ (Q)
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 92 09:41:45 EST

In article <BzDF4B.2Gt@unx.sas.com> sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com (Gary Merrill) writes:
>
>In article <1992Dec16.091656.14605@newstand.syr.edu>, mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline) writes:
>MK> In schizophrenia, brain tissue loss (that is, cortical atrophy and
>MK> passive ventricular dilatation) appears to be more correlated with
>MK> so-called "negative" symptoms, such as apathy, loss of motivation,
>MK> and so on, rather than florid "positive" symptoms, such as hallucinations
>MK> and delusions.  
>
GM>Does this mean that subjects who have schizophrenia as a consequence
GM>(or so it is supposed) of cortical atrophy do not exhibit positive
GM>symptoms?  Or does it mean that, while exhibiting positive symptoms,
GM>the degree of this is not correlated with the degree of cortical
GM>atrophy?  Is a diagnosis of schizophrenia made on the basis of *only*
GM>negative symptoms?  Do all schizophrenics (clinically diagnosed)
GM>exhibit cortical atrophy?

Most patients have an admixture of both postive and negative (deficit)
symptoms.   Patients with more negative symptoms - who often have
a poorer prognosis - tend to show more cortical atrophy.  Cortical
atrophy can be seen persons suffering a first episode of acute illness
in schizophrenia with LOTS of positive symptoms - before they've taken
their first dose of antipsychotic medication.  Not all schizophrenics
exhibit cortical atrophy.  But then, not all patients with Huntington's
Chorea exbibit atrophy of the caudate nucleii sufficient to be visualized
on CT/MRI at the time of clinical diagnosis.  


>MK> Schizophrenia is a truly malignant disorder.  Complete recoveries from
>MK> the disease have been recorded at every phase of illness; they are rare,
>MK> but there is hope.  New "atypical" antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine

GM>If there are "phases" of the illness, are there corresponding phases
GM>of cortical atrophy?  If brain tissue loss is causally related to
GM>the symptoms of the disease, and the loss is irreversible, what
GM>accounts for the recoveries?  Is there evidence of compensation in
GM>other areas of the brain?

Neuron loss is neuron loss.  Patients with a greater degree of neuron loss
(i.e., more cortical atrophy) have a poorer prognosis.  


================================================================= 
mark kline                              mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu
suny health science center, syracuse    voice: (315) 422-1050
================ courtesy of syracuse university ================
From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Date: 21 Dec 92 04:16:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: omen.1992Dec21.041633.17497
Organization: Omen Technology INC, Portland Rain Forest

In article <1992Dec21.002143.26900@crd.ge.com> stpeters@crd.ge.com writes:
>In article 133@ky3b.UUCP, km@ky3b.pgh.pa.us (Ken Mitchum) writes:
>> In article <dnsurber.724007610@node_26400>, dnsurber@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (Douglas N. Surber) writes:
>> |> Your point seems to be that one pound of fat is the equivalent of some
>> |> fixed number of calories, thus if one eats so many extra calories, he
>> |> will gain so many extra pounds.
>> 
>> Yup. 3500, if I remember correctly.
>
>Actually, there's a conversion efficiency.  N calories of food intake does
>not become N calories of fat.  The efficiency is very high for conversion
>of food fat to stored fat, but for food protein or food carbohydrates to
>stored fat a significant percentage of the nominal calories is used up in
>the conversion process.  I can't remember reliable numbers, and my sources
>are back home, but numbers like 90% for fat and 60% for carbohydrates and
>proteins come to mind.

There is some controversy about the accuracy and significance of
those conversion factors.  The relevant studies are discussed in
Adiposity 101 under "Low Fat Diets".

The problem with the 3500 number is not that it is inaccurate,
but that the underlying theory that inspires its recitation
poorly models human weight regulation.

-- 
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
From: rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu (David Rind)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Peter Breggin, _Toxic Psychiatry_ (Q)
Date: 16 Dec 92 15:27:57 GMT
Organization: Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston Mass., USA

In article <BzBGJx.7Ev@unx.sas.com> sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com
 (Gary Merrill) writes:

[In regard to my pointing out the problem of not having a
specific test for scarlet fever.]

>Please re-read a little more carefully.  What, exactly, *is* the
>point of doing the classic throat culture if not to give certainty
>to the initial diagnosis made clinically?

Ok, let's try once more.  Strep (like the kind that causes strep
throats) can cause scarlet fever.  It also can cause another
serious illness that produces a rash, streptococcal toxic shock
syndrome (a much rarer illness).  In both cases the throat
culture will show Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes if
the source of the strep is from a strep throat.

The throat culture does *not* make the distinction.  Neither does
any other routinely performed laboratory test.  The diagnostic
distinction is a clinical one.

>I understand perfectly why they are being held against their
>will.  It does not follow that the mechanism by which they initially
>are incarcerated nor the mechanism that allows for their continued
>incarceration is justified.

I don't think you do understand, and I am not debating the morality
of committing such patients.  You don't recognize that schizophrenia
is a "real" disease.  This is so obviously incorrect, that I suspect
that if you would actually take the time to meet some severe
schizophrenics you would recognize the error (I like to believe
that people aren't invincibly ignorant).  I realize that this
may not alter your view on the morality of "incarcerating" such
patients, but it would at least cause you to argue from a
position of knowledge rather than one of ignorance.

-- 
David Rind
rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: post-Prozac reactions
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 17:27:45 EST

In article <1992Dec14.133117.20486@u.washington.edu> lamontg@stein.u.washington.edu (Lamont Granquist) writes:
>mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline) writes:
>>No adverse consequences of long term Prozac administration or discontinuation
>>are known.  There are no "after effects."  There is substantial risk of 
>>recurrent illness for many patients successfully treated with Prozac.  
>>The recent literature on treatment of depressive disorders suggests longer
>>periods of treatment with full dose (as opposed to lower, "maintainence"
>>doses) and broader acceptance of indefinite (potentially lifelong) treatment
>>with medications when a person has had several or very severe depressive
>>episodes. 
>
>Blah.  So then why did I experience a week-long episode of depressive
>ideation after I got off of Prozac that was not characteristic of
>my past history?  No, I wasn't "depressed" that the drug didn't work --
	[ stuff deleted ]
>I'm beginning to think that the side effects that show up on studies are
>only the ones which psychiatrists think will show up.
>
>Anyway, I was on 40mg/day which is a healthy dose of Prozac, and the
>depressive "dip" that came after Prozac wasn't unmanageable and went
>away really fast...

Are there side effects of drugs that don't show up on studies?  
In phase III drug evaluations, the phase just prior to FDA approval,
very close tabs are kept on adverse experiences, whether or not clearly
drug-related, including those occuring up to 4 weeks after drug 
discontinutation, typically.   Unusual post-discontinuation experiences
with Prozac would be expected to appear in the medical literature,
since several million people in the USA have now taken the drug.

I have started more than 600 people on prozac since 1987.  I have seen no
unusual discontinuation effects, and I have seen no unusual suicidality
or violent behavior.  


Newsgroups: sci.med
From: sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com (Gary Merrill)
Subject: Re: Peter Breggin, _Toxic Psychiatry_ (Q)
Originator: sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 14:39:06 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.


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.).

I can be swayed by reasonable argument and reasonable methodology.
Let's start with this one study.  How about answering the following
questions:

	1. Precisely what criteria were used to diagnose all of
	   the subjects as suffering from schizophrenia?  In general,
	   how realiable are these criteria?

	2. Had any of these subjects been treated previously?
	   If so, what was the manner of treatment?  In particular,
	   had any psycho-active drugs been used in the treatments?
	   How long had the various subjects been treated (if they
	   had been)?  What methods were used to exclude the liklihood
	   that any observed tissue loss was the result of previous
	   treatment?

	3. What kinds of control groups were used to ensure that
	   the "brain tissue loss" was not an artifact of the test
	   and that it did not occur also in subjects not diagnosed
	   as schizophrenics?

	4. How is "degree of thought disorder" measured?  How accurate
	   is the measurement?  What is its "granularity"?  Do "degree
	   of thought disorder" measurements exhibit uniformity independent
           of the person doing the measuring?

	5. When "tissue loss" is mentioned, does this mean loss of
	   tissue since the onset of schizophrenia?  How and at what
           point was this onset determined?  Or does it mean to refer
	   to the relative differences in tissue mass (extent? density?
	   You might make this clear as well) compared to those in 
	   control groups?

I presume that, being an expert in the field and having carefully read the
journal article, you will have the answers to these questions at your
fingertips.
-- 
Gary H. Merrill  [Principal Systems Developer, C Compiler Development]
SAS Institute Inc. / SAS Campus Dr. / Cary, NC  27513 / (919) 677-8000
sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com ... !mcnc!sas!sasghm
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Physician's Incomes
Date: 20 Dec 92 18:59:26 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


 Peggy sez:
>>>Since you seem to have misunderstood my point, I'll repeat it.
>>>I do not favor civil-service type systems (sometimes called 
>>>socialized medicine).  Whether other countries have systems like 
>>>this I do not know.  However, I would beware of any system that 
>>>did not reward doctors (or anyone else) for working extra hard,
>>>or a system that did not give them opportunity, to reach their 
>>>full potential.
>>>
>> 

I sez:
>>But this statement of yours is just a straw man, since you seem to
>>know next to nothing about any health care system anywhere.  Why
>>are you making it?
>

Peggy astutely replies:
>Ever hear of free enterprise?  The concepts involved can be 
>applied to any industry/profession.
>

No Peggy, never heard of free enterprise.  In fact, I never went
to school, have never held a job, and I found this sparcstation in a 
dumpster.  I was so lucky to be able to get it to work!  So yes,
I *certainly* believe you when you say it's all Just That Simple.

Now I must go find some televangelists to give my money to.

Have a nice day.
From: 2801s@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Amanda Ewen)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: LOOKING FOR BEST HEART SURGERY HOSPITAL IN DC
Date: 15 Dec 92 20:54:29 GMT
Reply-To: 2801s@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Amanda Ewen)
Distribution: na
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

I am looking for hospitals in the Washington, DC area that are highly
reputable for successful bypass surgery.  I have a relative who will
need to have bypass surgery and the hospital he is currently in says
they will need to send him to Fairfax Hospital for the procedure.

Does anyone in this group know about Fairfax Hospital?  If not, are
there any reputable hospitals in the Washington metro area?

Please respond directly to me via 2801s@oasys.dt.navy.mil

Thank you.

Amanda Ewen
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: hank@well.sf.ca.us (Hank Roberts)
Subject: Re: EMF worries: are they silly?
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:18:00 GMT

In <1992Dec14.170020.781@tin.monsanto.com> wchutt@alex.monsanto.com (Bill C Hutton) writes:
>D.C. fields have not been shown to have biological effects (unless a
>very strong field is suddenly turned-off).

I'm sure you were thinking about health problems in writing that; there's
plenty of evidence that the Earth's DC field does have biological
effects in animals, and the recent reports of magnetite in humans also.

I gather it's the interaction of AC and DC fields being looked at now.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Getting off Xanax
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 20:31:53 EST

In article <1992Dec10.224613.0457875@locus.com> yazz@locus.com (Bob Yazz) writes:
>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.

Ask around, there are plenty of people who are quick to bad mouth
Valium.  Consider the horror stories about Halcion (triazolam),
a benzo which may actually induce unique forms of behavioral
toxicity....

>I hope any prescribing docs reading out there who might still have
>the "a benzo is a benzo is a benzo" attitude will take heed.  With
>other drugs useful in treating panic disorder, are there any indications
>left for Xanax for which other pharmaceuticals are not available?  I'm
>wondering if it's correct to say that Xanax is NEVER the right drug to
>prescribe first.

Prescribing docs have better sources of information.  There is nothing
wrong with Xanax.  Yes there are people who have had bad experiences
with it.  Yes Xanax has been abused.  But there is nothing mysterious
or sinister about Xanax.   So we prescribing docs should prescribe
Valium?  Its half life is much longer, therefore it tends to accumulate
more.  We should prescribe Ativan?  Takes a slighter higher milligram
dose, but duration of action, potential for rebound/withdrawal
phenomena are the same as Xanax.  

Its almost never correct to say never. 

Newsgroups: sci.med
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: Chapped lips and Vaseline
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 05:05:41 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.033541.19667@ux1.cts.eiu.edu> cfaks@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Alice Sanders) writes:
>Jeez!  I've been using it on my FACE for a long time, especially at night.
>I also put it on my arms and legs in the winter time.  I sometimes use it
>to remove makeup , too.  I have never heard this danger before.  Yikes!

It is sounds bogus, there's a good chance it IS bogus.

I wouldn't worry about it.

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