WeirdMedical™

For most people in today’s reduced-healthcare-cost, right-to-die, euthanasia-friendly culture a persistent vegetative state diagnosis is essentially the final blow if not death sentence…

The human brain is on par with space in terms of what we don’t know. The traditional means of determining consciousness can only measure so much. For one lucky man, science caught up. Rom Houben, now 46, suffered in silence for 23 years until Dr Steven Laureys used state of the art imaging equipment to discover his hidden mind. Just recently disclosed, Dr Laureys plans to use Mr. Houben’s case to highlight what many patients around the world may need.

For Mr. Houben his horror is over. What may be one of the weirdest-nightmare-like experience ever described he “I screamed, but there was nothing to hear…”

Man trapped in 23-year 'coma' reveals horror of being unable to tell doctors he was conscious (Source: Daily Mail, UK)

Watch your pocket books…

For those considering cosmetic surgeries such as botox or other “enhancements” they may not wish to wait for a 2010 resolution.

The current US Senate healthcare bill is adding a 5% tax on such operations. This proposed funding source may unfairly target women ages 35-50 who make up 86% of such operations. That said, there is no such tax in the House of Representatives version. If it does make it through it is estimated to generate $5 billion over the next 10 years.

Cosmetic Surgery Funds Healthcare Reform (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Looks like its time for “Facercize,” ladies!

Talk about sneezing your head off…

A 12-year-old girl from Virginia, Lauren Johnson, has developed a weird disorder. As reported last Wednesday, Lauren has been sneezing 20 time a minute, 12,000  times a day for over two weeks. Currently, her worst side effect is a raw nose from the incessant use of tissues.

Lauren’s syndrome is referred to as “Machine Gun Sneezing” during which victims cannot stop sneezing. She is one of less than 40 known cases in the world, doctors have tried 11 medical therapies and hypnosis, nothing has worked so far. Her weird condition began after she caught a common cold.

Source: "Ah-ah-achoo! The girl who sneezes 12,000 times a day has doctors baffled," Daily Mail, UK

Just imagine…they have tried everything from conventional medicine to hypnosis therapy…any ideas for Lauren?

Nobel winners uncover a connection…

The 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine went to three scientists who discovered an  enzyme called telomerase that allows cells to divide indefinitely. In general, cells have a limit on the number of times they can divide and over time this causes degradation of organic structures, or aging. In an article published by WIRED Aaron Rowe reveals that the scientists realized that they could persuade cells into producing telomeras.

However, there is a catch.

Currently cells in adults divide roughly 80 times before they die off, which limits susceptibility to cancer. When cells produce telomerase they continue dividing, which eventually leads to a higher probability of developing cancer.

Chromosomes

Mark Muller, a cancer and telomerase researcher at the University of Central Florida, stated that “Ninety percent of all cancer cells are telomerase rich.” Further, he posits that telomerase inhibitors could fight cancer itself and allow the cancer cells to essentially die off.

While currently the telomerase enzyme causes a Catch 22 of immortality and cancer, ethical and other pragmatic issues aside, it may be that in the future drugs may be able to combat cancerous cells without attacking all telomerase-rich cells, allowing mankind to achieve immortality in a safe manner.

Ready to rise above mere mortality?

Dentists across the nation have begun a movement to support US soldiers and combat cavities…

The “Halloween Candy Buy Back” works by buying-back candy from young trick-or-treaters and shipping it to soldiers overseas. Many Dentists have had their own programs similar to this for many years, but now there is the HalloweenCandyBuyBack.com site to help coordinate this effort. It was started by Dr. Chris Kammer and Bite Down Productions. Just log in your Zip Code and you instantly find a participating dentist close to you.

Not only assisting in the fight against tooth decay, this helps with other diseases such as diabetes and obesity as well. On top of the financial incentive children can also go to bed knowing that they have made a calore-burning soldier’s day a little sweeter.

Candy Buy Back (Image Source: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Barbara L. Patton - http://www.defenselink.mil/, Article Source: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

Gather your extra Halloween candy and go visit your nearby participating dentist today!