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. Read more … »
While a graduate student at Caltech, Frederick Balagaddé (now a research scientist in the Engineering Technologies Division at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) invented the micro-chemostat. This novel device is a computer-controlled miniaturized fluidic system designed to mimic a cell culture environment. Its components include human hair-sized valves, pumps, mixers, and injectors. Balagaddé describes it as a “wet lab on a chip”, which he presented at a TED Talk while discussing its potential revolutionary implications in health care.
Balagaddé begins his talk with his view of an irony in public health: the poorest countries carry the largest disease burden. Not surprisingly, Third-world countries have the highest prevalence of disease while experiencing a shortage in health care resources. Fortunately, Western countries have implemented programs to provide free drugs to these needy nations, resulting in millions of saved lives. Balagaddé adds, however, that without adequate diagnostic tools, these same drugs may eventually breed resistance and exacerbate the problem.
Balagaddé plans to use his micro-chemostat to build an HIV diagnostic kit. According to initial estimates, one miniaturized low-cost micro-chemostat the size of an iPhone could diagnose 100 patients and measure 100 viral load levels in each patient. The testing would complete in a mere 4 hours (50 times faster than current standards) at a cost 5-500 times cheaper than done conventional methods. While this technology could have marked impact on health care in Third-world countries, it also has positive implications of what can be done to improve diagnostics on local soil.
The Mayo Clinic recently launched their first free iPhone application: Symptom Checker. Geared toward consumers, the app collects adult or child symptoms from the end-user and provides information about self-care at home or guidance on when to seek additional care. In the Clinic’s lingo, the app provides practical “action-oriented” information to consumers. The app also serves as a mobile gateway to the Mayo Clinic and its web empire (i.e., MayoClinic.com). There is information about how to beome a patient and features to facilitate scheduling appointments.
Beyond the patient care aspects of the Symptom Checker, the app is a reflection of the Mayo Clinic’s marketing genius. It not only strengthens the already preeminent reputation of the Mayo Clinic, but attracts new patients in a new and innovative manner.
The “New & Interesting” series is a biweekly compilation of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format. The entries are highly abbreviated, but provide links to the original articles or abstracts if you desire to read further.
General Articles
The Sun Herald reports on how cardiologists in Mississippi have been using the iPhone to diagnose patients more quickly through more rapid access to EKGs and other medical information (Sun Herald)
The presence of an infection at the time of gluten introduction in childhood is not a major risk factor for celiac disease (Pediatrics)
Technical Articles
Updated 2009 guidelines on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. This was published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). (Clin Infect Dis)
A meta-analysis of randomized statin trials revealed a 9% increased risk of diabetes with statin use. The study authors nevertheless add that “the risk is low both in absolute terms and when compared with the reduction in coronary events. Clinical practice in patients with moderate or high cardiovascular risk or existing cardiovascular disease should not change.” (Lancet)
Successful development of human liver chimeric mouse model for the study of HBV and HCV infections (J Clin Invest)
Eradication of H pylori may help treat gastric low-grade, B-cell, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol)
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).
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?
The “New & Interesting” series is a biweekly compilation of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format. The entries are highly abbreviated, but provide links to the original articles or abstracts if you desire to read further.
