"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Formula for Happiness = S (Set range, personal biology) + C (Circumstances) + V (Voluntary control)

To contact us Click HERE
Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, has proposed a formula for the causes of happiness that accounts for stable and variable components of long-term happiness; H (enduring level of happiness) = S (personal set range) + C (circumstances) + V (factors under personal voluntary control).

Voluntary/intentional activities have similar level of influence (40%) compared to genetic set-point for happiness (50%)

The happiness set-point (estimated influence 50 %) “is genetically determined and assumed to be fixed, stable over time, and immune to the influence of control”.

Circumstances' estimated influence is only 10 %. These include the geographical region where a person resides, demographic factors such as age and gender, and major life-status factors such as marriage, and being sufficiently wealthy.

Intentional Activities' estimated influence is 40 %. Activities are more controllable than genetic factors, personality and most circumstances and offer the greatest potential to sustainably increase happiness. They have similar level of influence (40%) compared to the genetic set-point for happiness (50%).

Happiness enhancing strategies fall into 3 activity types:

1. Behavioral activity reflects a person’s actions:

- physical activities
- meditation and mindfulness
- social activities such as deliberate acts of kindness and gratitude

2. Cognitive activity indicates a person’s attitudes:

- cultivating gratitude
- forgiveness
- cognitive approaches to coping with adversity

3. Volitional activity is motivated towards achieving goals:

- pursuing goals that are concordant with one’s values and interests
- maintaining hope
- meaning in life

The dominance of social relationships for happiness

In a recent study, the most striking finding was the dominance of the Social Relationships dimension. People are happier when they are around others and relationships are necessary for happiness.

Therefore, individuals pursuing happiness should spend time and energy developing and maintaining their relationships. Does that involve online relationships developed via Twitter and Facebook?

A recipe for long-lasting happiness

Happy people are those who:

- are involved in a number of close relationships and practice their social values
- do not overrate the importance of circumstances or spend undue energy striving for circumstantial change
- enjoy satisfying and active leisure pursuits
- pursue (behavioral) activities and (cognitive) attitudes that are rewarding and in line with their broader sense of purpose
- have a philosophy of living that helps them to navigate life’s complexities

“Optimism is the belief that good things will happen to you and that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome” - a classical definition from the Mayo Clinic (http://goo.gl/wZ6Rh)

References:

Exploring the Causes of Subjective Well-Being: A Content Analysis of Peoples’ Recipes for Long-Term Happiness. Journal Journal of Happiness Studies, 2012. http://goo.gl/kN5OQ
Image source: OpenClipArt.org, public domain.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Top medicine articles for January-February 2013

To contact us Click HERE
Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine for January-February 2013:

Why Most Published Research Findings Are False - PLOS Medicine http://buff.ly/Tca847

New York City Ties Doctors’ Income to "Quality of Care" http://buff.ly/WTwDdm

"After a string of digital dating disasters, Amy Webb dug into the data…and found her husband" - WSJ http://buff.ly/10thOqi

Know Thyself—Via Gadgets and Apps - a new self-tracking movement is afoot http://buff.ly/10ti8Fo

A Cycle of Contamination - and Cancer - That Won’t End - NYTimes http://buff.ly/X6ZsUo

Malpractice Risks With NPs and PAs in Your Practice http://buff.ly/10Gl5m4

Online Professionalism Investigations by State Medical Boards: First, Do No Harm http://buff.ly/10GozFe

A 13-item score based on readily available risk factors predicted risk for 3-year mortality in heart failure http://buff.ly/10GoFgd

No evidence to support the use of vitamin and antioxidant supplements for prevention of cardiovascular diseases http://buff.ly/10GoNMH

Eight Questions About Physician-Rating Websites - JMIR 2013 http://bit.ly/12ifjXA

Diabetics can eat right after using insulin: study http://buff.ly/X2JVXp

Why are we seeing a large increase in type 1 diabetes in young children? http://buff.ly/X2K790

Concerns About A.D.H.D. Practices, Amphetamine Addiction, and tunnel-like focus the medicines provide - NYTimes http://buff.ly/X8SpMo

Successful and Schizophrenic - NYTimes http://buff.ly/YuLHVW

They may be difficult to pronounce, but pharmaceutical companies are returning to drug names starting with X and Z http://buff.ly/X8SYpH

WHO recommends that adults consume less than 2 grams of sodium (5 grams of salt) from food daily http://buff.ly/WOAg8F

Use of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplements is associated with development of kidney stones http://buff.ly/WOArku

A variety of sledding injuries associated with late night partying and alcohol - BMJ http://buff.ly/14DVh8t

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases AT gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Lessons from 12 Years of Blogging (from woodtang)

To contact us Click HERE
Spoken like a true blogger:

"I started this site 12 years ago. That’s longer than my marriage, longer than any job I’ve held, longer than I’ve lived anywhere since I was a kid. Even though I stopped a started blogging here too many times to count, that’s a long time. I feel like that counts for something on the web and I ought to give it some love.

My interest in blogging waned when I started using Twitter, but I’ve always felt something missing when I wanted to write a few paragraphs about something and be done with it."

Read the rest at woodtang.com http://bit.ly/VPuEaP

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary”, said Pablo Picasso. Blogging is similar in a way but it also helps to collect important ideas, archive news items and create an educational portfolio that is easily shareable with students, colleagues and patients.

In my personal experience, blogging fits nicely in what I call the Cycle of Online Information and Physician Education (click here to enlarge the image).

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

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A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

The Brain of a Murderer - Are You Good Or Evil? (BBC video)

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Professor James Fallon from University of California, Irvine explains the beginnings of his work studying the brains of criminals and murders. Would his work prove the existence of a signature brain profile of a serial killer or are there other factors to consider?



Jim Fallon recently made a disquieting discovery: A member of his family has some of the biological traits of a psychopathic killer. "These results will cause some problems at the next family party," he said, reviewing the data on his laptop in his backyard. Fallon had already been studying the brains of psychopathic killers for years when his mother told him that he comes from a long line of murderers. Is he one of them?

After a PET scan, Professor Jim Fallon made a shocking discovery about his own brain - that he had the neurological and genetic correlates of psychopathy. However, he is not concerned by the findings and believes that his positive experiences in childhood negated the genetic susceptibility to violence and emotional issues.



References:

What's on Jim Fallon's Mind? A Family Secret That Has Been Murder to Figure Out - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/9CUbjG
A Neuroscientist Uncovers A Dark Secret - NPR http://n.pr/V2LMNl
Jim Fallon: Exploring the mind of a killer | Video on TED.com http://bit.ly/V2LNAI
Three Ingredients for Murder: Neuroscientist James Fallon on psychopaths - YouTube http://bit.ly/V2M2M9

Comments from Twitter:

Gia Sison MD @giasison: Wow To Watch! Great share Ves!!!!

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars (video)

To contact us Click HERE
A new study from the United Kingdom (BMJ) reveals just how risky rock-and-roll can be - WSJ:



The WSJ summarized the findings of the study published in BMJ:

The research examined 1,489 stars of pop, rock, hip-hop and punk, of whom 137, or 9.2%, died during the five-decade period covered by the study. Nearly 39% of those deaths were caused by factors related to violence or alcohol and drug intake.

North American pop stars were 87.6% as likely to be alive as normal people of the same age and ethnicity—the lowest survival rate of any group identified in the study.

In North America, 23% of solo performers died, versus 10% of band-only stars, the study found. The comparable figures for Europe were 10% versus 5%.

The study doesn't address a widely held belief that drummers are more prone to early death than other musicians.

References:

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll? Study Shows Risk to Stars - WSJ.com http://on.wsj.com/V8O79a

"We had a very simple idea, that's to see the warmth"

To contact us Click HERE


This ad was created for a Belgian natural gas company. The purpose was to show the TV audience what "warm looks like", says director Olivier Babinet.

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool."

Here is how they did it, carefully attaching yards of yarn to walls, radiators, and pipes, 40 people working 4 days and nights:



References:

It's December. Brrrr. Is My House Shivering? Krulwich Wonders. NPR http://n.pr/Y97YmJ
A house that knits itself | Colossal http://bit.ly/Y98xNl

Vaccination: A Key Piece of the Puzzle (CDC videos)

To contact us Click HERE
Vaccination: A Key Piece of the Puzzle. Nothing protects babies better from more than 14 serious diseases by age 2.



Babies are on the move-- visiting grocery stores, playgrounds and other places with their parents and caregivers. As they come into contact with others, babies can be exposed to serious diseases, like measles and whooping cough:



The Immunization Baby Book: Flipping through this baby book, you can learn what vaccines babies need, when they're needed, and why it's so important to follow CDC's recommended immunization schedule.



For more information about vaccines, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Age-related macular degeneration - 2012 Lancet review

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From the The Lancet:

Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness worldwide. With ageing populations in many countries, more than 20% might have the disorder.

Advanced age-related macular degeneration is associated with progressive visual impairment. It includes two subtypes:

- neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet)
- geographic atrophy (late dry) macular degeneration

What are the risk factors for macular degeneration?

Major risk factors include:

- cigarette smoking
- nutritional factors
- cardiovascular diseases
- genetic markers, including genes regulating complement, lipid, angiogenic, and extracellular matrix pathways

How to diagnose macular degeneration?

Accurate diagnosis combines clinical examination and investigations including:

- retinal photography
- angiography
- optical coherence tomography

What is the treatment for macular degeneration?

Dietary anti-oxidant supplementation slows progression of the disease.

Treatment for neovascular age-related (wet) macular degeneration includes intraocular injections of anti-VEGF agents. The two commonly used anti-VEGF therapies, ranibizumab and bevacizumab, have similar efficacy.

Future treatments include inhibition of other angiogenic factors, and regenerative and topical therapies.

References:

Age-related macular degeneration. The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9827, Pages 1728 - 1738, 5 May 2012.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

Top Foods for Longevity (video)

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This video from About.com will go over some of "the top foods to eat or longevity."



There are some other useful videos from About.com YouTube channel neatly arranged in playlists: http://bit.ly/VU8nbZ

Here is a related playlist: Super Foods http://bit.ly/VILPLc

Interesting Correlation: Fast Food Founders and Longevity

By the way, Jay Parkinson noted an interesting correlation between Fast Food Founders and Longevity:

- Ray Kroc (McDonald’s) died at age 82
- Jimmy Dean died at age 81
- Taco Bell founder Glen Bell died at 86
- Sonic founder Troy Smith died at 87
- Hardee’s founder Wilber Hardee died at 89
- Baskin-Robbins founder Irvine Robbins died at 90
- Carl’s Jr. founder Carl Karcher died at 90
- Frozen french fry mogul J.R. Simplot died at 99
- Murray Handwerker, credited with making Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs into a well-known national chain, died at 89

Standard American Diet (Yes, it’s SAD)

The average American consumes 45 gallons of soft drinks annually. This does not include noncarbonated sweetened beverages, which add up 17 gallons a person per year. Chips and Coke are a common breakfast.

Cheap fast food is "enticing people to eat more because they think they're saving money when they're really buying heart disease", says Jillian Michaels.

We can do better

One step is to grow your own vegetables, even on a small scale. Chicago is already doing that. See for yourself: How Google Earth Revealed Chicago's Hidden Farms - NPR http://n.pr/VU8NyO

There are some helpful Tools for Your Food Revolution - Wolfram|Alpha Lets You Compare Nutritional Value of Foods.

See the passion of an urban gardener here, at 3:33 min: http://bit.ly/RZfWSD

The whole video is here:



The Grow video series by Whole Foods has at least 7 episodes - you can search for them on YouTube: http://bit.ly/RZgaJu

Top medicine articles for December 2012-January 2013

To contact us Click HERE
Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine for December 2012-January 2013:

Among former Olympic athletes, engagement in disciplines with high intensity exercise did not bring a survival benefit http://buff.ly/UmY9Ur

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (Z drugs - eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem) are effective for treatment of adult insomnia http://buff.ly/UZC1g9

Bringing surgical history to life | BMJ http://buff.ly/UZCeQC -- Things change fast in surgery. Within a single generation, ways of operating that had been stable for decades have been overturned. New drugs have revolutionized what were once “surgical” conditions, and minimally invasive procedures have driven many “open” operations to the verge of extinction.

Dabigatran Shouldn't Be Used in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valves http://buff.ly/UmXToo

Confront medical errors - The University of Michigan Health System pioneered the three principle approach of “disclose, apologize, offer” more than a decade ago. http://buff.ly/UZDeV0

One Question That Changed the Cleveland Clinic Organization:
"How do you teach empathy?" CEO explains: http://buff.ly/V1ntgi

Too Young to Have a Heart Attack, at 48 - NYTimes http://buff.ly/UvpYKd

The Perils of Yoga for Men - torn muscles, damaged ligaments, dislocated joints, broken bones http://buff.ly/UwxhBp

Doctor Sued for Following a 'Do Not Resuscitate Order (found not liable by the jury) http://buff.ly/UZzYZH

Consequence of prescription-pain-pill epidemic: babies born dependent on drugs such as oxycodone http://buff.ly/V80BvE

50% of new experimental treatments prove to be better than established treatments, but few are much better http://buff.ly/PLDqJt

Exercise Minutes Per Week as a Vital Sign? http://buff.ly/11aAHxp

Asleep at the Wheel: 'Drowsy Driving' affects 4% of survey responders http://buff.ly/11aAQRg

Some U.S. Few Medical Schools Now Offering 3-Year Degrees http://buff.ly/WrCSoC

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases AT gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)

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What is Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)?

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is commonly known as concussion. A universally accepted definition is lacking.

Mild traumatic brain injury and concussion are classified by:

- transient loss of consciousness
- amnesia
- altered mental status
- a Glasgow Coma Score of 13 to 15
- focal neurological deficits following an acute closed head injury

"Red flag' symptoms include: progression of physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms, seizure, progressive vomiting, and altered mental status.

What is the prognosis of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)?

Most patients recover quickly, within 1-2 weeks.

However, persistent symptoms may be noted in 5-20% of persons who have mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI):

- Physical symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and nausea, and changes in coordination, balance, appetite, sleep, vision, and hearing.

- Cognitive and behavioral symptoms include fatigue, anxiety, depression, and irritability, and problems with memory, concentration and decision making.

Who is at greatest risk after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)?

Women, older adults, less educated persons, and those with a previous mental health diagnosis are more likely to have persistent symptoms.

Protecting the brain from concussion: $20-helmet is a good way to protect $100,000 education



Neuropsychologist Kim Gorgens makes the case for better protecting our brains against the risk of concussion -- with a compelling pitch for putting helmets on kids: A $20-helmet is a good way to protect $100,000 education. "Mind your (brain) matter."

References:
Subacute to chronic mild traumatic brain injury. Mott TF, McConnon ML, Rieger BP. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Dec 1;86(11):1045-51.
Image source: Hippocampus, from Wikipedia, public domain.

Producing one T-shirt takes 2,700 liters of water = enough for one man to drink for 900 days

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How Your T-Shirt Can Make a Difference - National Geographic: Did you know that the t-shirt on your back has a major impact on the planet? Producing it took 2,700 liters of water, plus it takes a lot of energy to get it from the cotton fields to your closet. But some of your t-shirt's biggest impacts are in how you care for it. Here's how you can help reduce its effect on the environment.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

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What is seasonal affective disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder is a combination of biologic and mood disturbances with a seasonal pattern. It typically occurs in the autumn (fall) and winter, with remission in the spring or summer.

How common is seasonal affective disorder?

5% of the U.S. population experiences seasonal affective disorder. Because the symptoms are seasonal, they are present for 40% of the year. Although the condition is seasonally limited, patients may have associated depression which would last longer.

What is the treatment for seasonal affective disorder?

Light therapy is well tolerated. Most patients improve within 1-2 weeks. To avoid relapse, light therapy should continue through the end of the winter season until spontaneous remission of symptoms in the spring or summer.

Antidepressant medications and cognitive behavior therapy are as effective as light therapy.

How to prevent seasonal affective disorder?

Light treatment may be used as prophylaxis before the subsequent autumn and winter seasons.

There are many devices available on Amazon, for example:



References:

Seasonal affective disorder. Kurlansik SL, Ibay AD. Am Family Physician, Dec 2012.
Image sources: Record breaking snowfall March 2008 at Aubrey, Texas, Wikipedia, public domain

Why would a person have pink sweat (chromhidrosis)?

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Pink sweat is typically due to chromhidrosis (colored sweat).

What is chromhidrosis?

Chromhidrosis is a rare condition characterized by the secretion of colored sweat. Approximately 10% of normal people have colored sweat (without chromhidrosis).

Two glands produce sweat:

- Eccrine glands secrete a clear, odorless fluid that regulates body temperature.

- Apocrine glands secrete a thick, milky sweat that, once broken down by bacteria, is the main cause of body odor (smell).

Which glands are responsible for chromhidrosis?

- Chromhidrosis is caused mainly by the apocrine glands. They are located in the genital, axillary, areolar, and facial skin. Chromhidrosis is reported only on the face, axillae, and breast areola.

- Eccrine chromhidrosis is rare and occurs with ingestion of certain dyes or drugs.

- Pseudochromhidrosis occurs when clear eccrine sweat becomes colored on the surface of the skin as a result of extrinsic dyes, paints, or chromogenic bacteria.

What is the pigment in chromhidrosis?

Lipofuscin is a yellowish brown pigment that is responsible for the colored sweat. Lipofuscin is produced in the apocrine glands, and its various oxidative states account for the characteristic yellow, green, blue, or black secretions in chromhidrosis.

Are any lab tests indicated?

No laboratory abnormalities are typically found in apocrine chromhidrosis. The following test may help to rule out other causes:

- complete blood cell count (CBC) to exclude bleeding diathesis
- urinary homogentisic acid levels to exclude alkaptonuria
- fungal and bacterial cultures to exclude infectious causes of pseudochromhidrosis

How to treat chromhidrosis?

Apocrine chromhidrosis has no cure. Patients can manually or pharmacologically empty the glands to remove the color for 48-72 hours (until the glands replenish the pigment).

Botox® injections have been attempted in chromhidrosis, with mixed results. Botox is predominantly used to decrease eccrine sweat in persons with hyperhidrosis.

Capsaicin cream (alkaloid found in chilly peppers) also can help.

References:

Chromhidrosis - Medscape http://bit.ly/UmhTXU
Facial and axillary apocrine chromhidrosis http://bit.ly/UmhV1Q
Treating Chromhidrosis - Discovery Health http://bit.ly/UmhVPE
Image source: Sweat, Shaylor's photostream, Creative Commons license. The image is not related and does not show a patient.

Comments from Twitter:

Laura VR Bertotto @LauraAtVMV: Botox has worked well for hyperhydrosis. This is interesting.

Dr. Claudia Aguirre @doctorclaudia: Interesting.

"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" - Ian Gillan's talk

To contact us Click HERE
"The Parallax Effect of Long Hair" is a talk by Ian Gillian, Singer & Song writer with Deep Purple, given at The ICD Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2012 (Berlin, December 13th - 16th, 2012), The Power of the Arts and Culture to Promote Democracy and Global Peace:



Here is the back story, explained by Gillan: The Magic Bus http://www.gillan.com/anecdotage-45.html

References:

ICD Mediacenter | Selection http://bit.ly/USLnf9

Snow Blower and Shoveling Safety (video)

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Using a snow blower is not as physically taxing as shoveling, but its powerful blades have the potential to severely injure hands and feet. Dr. David Shapiro, an orthopaedic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, explains the most common injuries he sees with snow blowers:



Snow shoveling injuries land thousands of people in the emergency room every year. 96 percent of them happen at home:

Bell's palsy - NHS video

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Bell’s palsy is the abrupt paralysis of the facial nerve (cranial nerve 7, CN7), resulting in an inability to control facial muscles on the affected side. A common condition, Bell’s palsy has an annual incidence of 11-40 cases per 100 ,000 population. Many patients recover without intervention; however, up to 30% have poor recovery of facial muscle control and experience facial disfigurement, psychological trauma, and facial pain.

From the NHS Choices YouTube channel: Bell's palsy is the temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in one side of the face. In this video, a speech therapist explains who is most at risk and describes common causes and treatment options available. Helen explains how she dealt with the condition and recovered from it:



Remember:

U MN damage
U pper face is OK (the patient is able to wrinkle his forehead)

LMN damage = patient is unable to wrinkle his forehead (our patient)

The examination of CN 7 palsy can be remembered by the mnemonic COWS:

C lose your eyes
O pen (the examining physician tries to open the patient's eyes)
W rinkle your forehead
S mile

Two main types of pharmacological treatment have been used to improve outcomes from Bell’s palsy:

- steroids
- antivirals.

The rationale for these treatments is based on the presumed pathophysiology of Bell’s palsy, namely inflammation and viral infection.

In a 2009 study published in the BMJ antivirals did not provide an added benefit in achieving at least partial facial muscle recovery compared with steroids alone in patients with Bell’s palsy.

References:

The benefits of steroids versus steroids plus antivirals for treatment of Bell’s palsy: a meta-analysis | BMJ http://bit.ly/YD3iLG