In our currently fragile economy, lifestyle changes are often necessary to maintain a reasonable budget. We may carpool more often, eat out less frequently, or reduce the number of foreign excursions. While making changes to shave costs are generally helpful, there are some corners that should not be cut.

In a recent study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, the cost-cutting practice of replacing water for windshield wiper fluid has been linked with an increased risk of developing Legionnaire’s disease.

It appears that stagnant water in wiper fluid reservoirs promote bacterial growth, including the Legionella bacteria that are typically spread through water systems (e.g., air conditioners, showers, and fountains). When sprayed on the windshield, the bacteria are aerosolized and disseminated through air vents or open windows.
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With over 4 billion cell phones in use worldwide, this once-exclusive device has almost become as common a personal accessory as watches and belts. But unlike your typical neck tie and pocket protector, cell phones must emit radiation to transmit its signal. High-dose radiation can cause cancer through DNA damage and mutations, but what about the low-dose emissions from cell phones?

For the moment, most research studies (related article) and prominent health organizations (i.e., World Health Organization, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health) have not linked cell phone use with an increased risk of cancer. But given that the mass adoption of cell phones only occurred approximately 20 years ago, long-term studies are lacking.
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Coincident with the prestigious Nobel Prizes awarded each year are their parody counterparts: the Ig Nobel Prizes (a play on the words “ignoble” and “Nobel”). The honors are bestowed to individuals who demonstrate notable achievements that “first make people laugh, and then make them think.” The awards ceremonies take place each October at the Sanders Theater of Harvard University and include genuine Nobel Laureates presenting the awards.

This year’s Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine goes to Donald L. Unger of Thousand Oaks, California, for investigating whether knuckle cracking causes arthritis. The premise of his research, published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, was to test the validity of admonitions from “renowned authorities” (i.e., his mother, several aunts, and mother-in-law) that cracking his knuckles would lead to arthritis. Over the course of 50 years, Unger cracked the knuckles of his left hand at least twice daily, while sparing his right hand to serve as a control. At the end of the 50-year observation period, Unger did not detect any difference between both hands. He concluded that “there is no apparent relationship between knuckle cracking and the subsequent development of arthritis of the fingers.”

In light of the present evidence, Unger now questions whether other “parental beliefs”, such as the importance of eating spinach, are similarly flawed.

• Source
• Unger DL. Does knuckle cracking lead to arthritis of the fingers? Arthritis Rheum 1998;41:949-50.

The 2009 World Stem Cell Summit, co-sponsored by Johns Hopkins Medicine, begins today and continues until September 23 in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference assembles key experts in the science, ethics, policy, and business of stem cell research with an expected audience of over 1,200 participants from more than 25 countries. Among the diverse topics, there will be robust discussion about reprogrammed stem cells (iPSCs) and their use alongside embryonic stem cells in regenerative medicine.

The summit organizers have employed traditional and social networking technologies to disseminate information and updates, such as a website, news blog, Twitter site, and video (shown below).

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With the national push toward electronic medical records, there have been active efforts to upgrade clinical data and systems software. At some institutions, an effect of this transition is the migration from the traditional voice dictation systems or paper clinic notes to a typed electronic record.

A recent study at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine sought to evaluate the overall quality of electronic discharge summaries (EDS) compared to their traditional dictated counterparts. The measure for quality was based on a 100-point visual analogue scale rating the satisfaction of primary care physicians (PCPs) who receive the discharge summaries. Other endpoints studied included the satisfaction of house officers using either system (again, using a 100-point visual analogue scale), adverse outcomes after discharge (combined emergency department visits, readmissions, and death), and patient understanding of the discharge details.

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