Have you noticed that we can't see Nevis for the last few days? Perhaps it is due to
Sahara dust?
"Tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere are called aerosols. Windblown dust, sea salts, volcanic ash, smoke from wildfires, and pollution from factories are all examples of aerosols. Depending upon their size, type, and location, aerosols can either cool the surface, or warm it. They can help clouds to form, or they can inhibit cloud formation. And
if inhaled, some aerosols can be harmful to people’s health."Labels: aerosols, atmospheric conditions, Caribbean health, Caribbean weather, dust couds, haze, NASA, Saharan dust
Steps Forward in the Prevention of Cervical Cancer
Dear Colleagues,
Our second semester medical student
Smita Prasad, with her Master’s in Public Health [University of Kentucky, College of Public Health, Lexington, KY] has done it again... Smita is an asset to our University and a joy to work with! This is her second published article on HPV vaccines and their cost effectiveness in the prevention of Cervical Cancer.
Sincerely,
Dr. MJ Cannon "Management strategies and cost effectiveness in the prevention of cervical cancer." by Smita R Prasad,
ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research Journal, June 2009.
Coincidentally,
Cervical Cancer is in the news here in the Caribbean this week as well. The
Trinidad & Tobago Express reports:
"The incidence of cervical cancer in the Caribbean is more than four times that in some developed countries because women are either uneducated about the disease or afraid to be screened, says Minister of Health, Jerry Narace." Labels: cervical cancer, health care costs, HPV, human papillomavirus
A recent survey conducted by the
American Optometric Association shows that while many people are now concerned about UV protection for their skin, many still consider sunglasses mere fashion statements!
“Overexposure to UV rays has been linked to a variety of problems, including age-related cataracts and degeneration of the cornea,” said Gregory W. Good, O.D., PhD, optometrist and AOA’s UV Protection Expert. “Other disorders that can occur are abnormal growths on the eye’s surface and even sunburn of the eyes. These conditions can cause blurred vision, irritation, redness, tearing, temporary vision loss and, in some instances, blindness.”
The following top five tips from the AOA can help prevent eye damage from exposure to UV radiation:
~ Wear protective eyewear any time the eyes are exposed to UV rays, even on cloudy days.
~ Look for quality sunglasses or contact lenses that offer good protection. Sunglasses or protective contact lenses should block out 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light.
~ Check to make sure sunglass lenses are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions or imperfections.
~ Purchase gray-colored lenses because they reduce light intensity without altering the color of objects to provide the most natural color vision.
You know how powerful the Kittian sun is and the effects are cumulative! Labels: eye health promotion, eye protection, sun exposure, UV radiation
...then read this
Wall Street Journal Blog post by
Laura Yao"Physicians coming out of residencies last year reported increases in their starting salaries in many specialties, according to a survey by the
Medical Group Management Association... Here are the specialties with the biggest jumps in 2008 from a year earlier based on data from 3,520 physicians:
Neurology: $200,000 to $230,000 –- up 15%
Non-invasive cardiology: $350,000 to $400,000 – up 14.29%
Anesthesiology: $275,000 to $312,500 – up 13.64%
Emergency medicine: $192,000 to $215,040 – up 12%
Internal medicine: $150,000 to $165,000 – up 10% "
Check the
Wall Street Journal Health Blog regularly for interesting discussion ~ including the recent
White Coat Controversy!
Labels: bogs, debt load, health news, medical education, physician earnings, salary comparison, student debt, student loans, Wall Street Journal, white coat
The New York Times Health Section (Jun 18,2009) published an interesting article by
Pauline Chen, MD called
"Taking Time for the Self on the Path to Becoming a Doctor".
Labels: medical education, self-care, student doctors
This new resource from the
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) provides an excellent way to learn about
Genetics.
It provides audio to aid your pronunciation of the terminology; an A to Z of genetic terms with explanations, illustrations and many animations; as well as an interactive test of your level of knowledge on the subject!
Labels: genes, genetics, glossary, NHGRI, talking dictionary
Staying current, particularily in the rapidly developing area of medical research, has and continues to present a challenge. In response, creative solutions have given rise to syntheses presented in systemic reviews and meta-analyses of the research literature; the development of dynamic, point-of-care, evidence-based clinical summaries databases; technological innovations supporting anytime, anywhere access to the most current knowledge via handheld devices; as well as RSS for automatically bringing today's research news to you.
The
Open Medicine Wiki Project, is set to demonstrate the next innovative response to this challenge; one which we all do well to note! This project presents a whole new opportunity for publishing academic research while maintaining currency to boot! Online collaboration software, commonly referred to as
'wiki' software provides the vehicle for this conceivably fundamental change.
With
'open access' more of us could
Read more ; with
'open collaboration' more of us can now
wRite more; I will leave the
Math ['Rithmatic] up to you!
Find out more about this exciting project and follow its collaborative outcome going forward ...
Labels: medical research, open access journals, open collaboration, Open Medicine, staying current, wikis
Life Expectancy CalculatorYour Virtual Age is a reflection of your health and vitality. I ran this calculator by Dr. Cannon for her opinion, and what she likes about it is that it takes into consideration all the main known elements that can impact one's longevity, even some that most people might not think about. So while we can't vouch for it's accuracy, it makes for an interesting exercise! Developed by
Poodwaddle??
Labels: calculators, cool tools, life expectancy
