New on the list of operations that have fallen into disfavor is appendectomies. Four trials involving 900 patients with appendicitis found almost two-thirds of them (63 per cent) were successfully treated with antibiotics, and avoided the complications of surgery.
* Tonsillectomy, the removal of tonsils to prevent repeated sore throats. More than 200,000 were carried out every year in the 1950s, but only 49,000 in 2009. There is no evidence that it works.
* Grommets, or valves inserted in the ear drum to treat inflammation of the inner ear. Most children grow out of it naturally.
* A mastectomy for breast cancer. Today, many surgeons remove only the lump, and survival is just as good.
* Hysterectomy for fibroids or benign growths in the womb can now be treated by an injection.
* Surgery for stomach ulcers can now be treated by an over-the-counter drug.
Apr 11, 2012
Apr 6, 2012
Happy Friday
There are three difficulties in authorship: to write anything worth publishing, to find honest men to publish it, and to get sensible men to read it.
I honestly believe that no matter how you read it, it is sensible and worth the time to have a Happy Friday!
I honestly believe that no matter how you read it, it is sensible and worth the time to have a Happy Friday!
Nine Things You Never Thought of Freezing
Here are a few things we usually do not think about freezing, but might be worth a try.
Fruits: Cut up and freeze season fruits such as peaches, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, grapes, or apples. Add a spritz of lemon juice to your frozen fruits to prevent browning.
Nuts: Bag up and freeze almonds, pine nuts, honey toasted pecans and others.
Berries: Freeze blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
Fresh Bread: Store specialty breads in the freezer. The cold temperature will preserve the crumb and texture while prolonging staleness. A quick oven re-bake will bring back the aroma, crispness, and moisture.
Semi-Soft Cheese: Freezing cheese slows down mold in super-melts like mozzarella, Colby, pepper jack or Gouda.
Whole Grains: Whole grains like flax, millet or oats can stay fresh by freezing them in insulated bags.
Herbs: Fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, dill, cilantro and chives can benefit from a deep-freeze treatment. To retain their vibrant color, let herbs air-dry before freezing.
Juices: Freshly squeezed citrus like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. Store in ice-cube trays for future use.
Fresh Vegetables: Freeze asparagus, beets, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots and greens.
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Fruits: Cut up and freeze season fruits such as peaches, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, grapes, or apples. Add a spritz of lemon juice to your frozen fruits to prevent browning.
Nuts: Bag up and freeze almonds, pine nuts, honey toasted pecans and others.
Berries: Freeze blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
Fresh Bread: Store specialty breads in the freezer. The cold temperature will preserve the crumb and texture while prolonging staleness. A quick oven re-bake will bring back the aroma, crispness, and moisture.
Semi-Soft Cheese: Freezing cheese slows down mold in super-melts like mozzarella, Colby, pepper jack or Gouda.
Whole Grains: Whole grains like flax, millet or oats can stay fresh by freezing them in insulated bags.
Herbs: Fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, dill, cilantro and chives can benefit from a deep-freeze treatment. To retain their vibrant color, let herbs air-dry before freezing.
Juices: Freshly squeezed citrus like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. Store in ice-cube trays for future use.
Fresh Vegetables: Freeze asparagus, beets, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots and greens.
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Future Me
Received this goodie from my 'way much older' brother, who just had yet another birthday and who is likely planning something with this I do not want to know about. The site LINK allows you to send a free email message to yourself in the future. You can also send an email to others, but have to set up a free account to do so.
You can post-date it for anytime in the future, weeks, months, years. Might be fun to get something back that you were thinking now or planning for the future to remind yourself of the plan. . . and answer for it. It cautions to not use work email addresses, lest you change jobs.
The site has many copies of emails that others have sent and allowed the site to post. It has also made a book of some of the emails. Great fun and might honestly answer the question, "How did that work out for you?"
You can post-date it for anytime in the future, weeks, months, years. Might be fun to get something back that you were thinking now or planning for the future to remind yourself of the plan. . . and answer for it. It cautions to not use work email addresses, lest you change jobs.
The site has many copies of emails that others have sent and allowed the site to post. It has also made a book of some of the emails. Great fun and might honestly answer the question, "How did that work out for you?"
Watson and Cancer
Not quite robot technology, but IBM and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center are adding the latest in oncology research, and the hospital's accumulated experience to Watson's vast knowledge base, and keep updating it. They said the result should help the hospital diagnose and treat cancer more quickly, accurately, and personally. "The capabilities are enormous," said Dr. Larry Norton, deputy chief for breast cancer programs at Sloan-Kettering. "And unlike my medical students, Watson doesn't forget anything."
If successful, the finished product could be used anywhere in the world to aid cancer treatment.
Watson won fame by beating the world's best "Jeopardy!" players. Last year Watson also began work for the health insurer Wellpoint Inc.
If successful, the finished product could be used anywhere in the world to aid cancer treatment.
Watson won fame by beating the world's best "Jeopardy!" players. Last year Watson also began work for the health insurer Wellpoint Inc.
Guiness and Bar Bets
Guinness World Records was invented by the beer company to sell in bars and to settle bar bets. In 1951, the managing director of Guinness Brewery was on a bird-hunting trip in Ireland, hunting the golden plover. After failing to shoot even one, he declared that the bird must be the fastest in Europe. His friends said no, but they had no reliable source to turn to for bird speed. So he decided the public needed an official book of records that could be used to settle bar bets.
Some time later, he hired the Norris and Ross McWhirter fact-finding agency to put together a definitive book of facts. The result was a 198-page book published in 1955 with the Guinness name on the cover that was handed out in bars as a giveaway to increase the sales of Guinness. The Guinness Book of Records was in such demand that Guinness immediately reprinted another 50,000 copies (44.7 tons) and started selling them.
In case you were wondering, according to the book, Britain's fastest game bird is the Red Grouse which, in still air, has recorded burst speeds up to 58-63 mph over very short distances. It is doubtful that the Golden Plover can exceed 55 mph, even in an emergency.
Some time later, he hired the Norris and Ross McWhirter fact-finding agency to put together a definitive book of facts. The result was a 198-page book published in 1955 with the Guinness name on the cover that was handed out in bars as a giveaway to increase the sales of Guinness. The Guinness Book of Records was in such demand that Guinness immediately reprinted another 50,000 copies (44.7 tons) and started selling them.
In case you were wondering, according to the book, Britain's fastest game bird is the Red Grouse which, in still air, has recorded burst speeds up to 58-63 mph over very short distances. It is doubtful that the Golden Plover can exceed 55 mph, even in an emergency.
Apr 4, 2012
Wordology
Hagiography is the study of saints and refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders.
Christian hagiographies focus on the lives, and notably the miracles of men and women canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Church of the East. Other religions such as Buddhism and Islam also create and maintain hagiographical texts concerning saints and other individuals believed to be imbued with the sacred.
The term "hagiographic" has also been used as a pejorative reference to the works of biographers and historians perceived to be uncritical or reverential to their subject. Almost all my books begin with an unpejoritive autohagiography.
Christian hagiographies focus on the lives, and notably the miracles of men and women canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Church of the East. Other religions such as Buddhism and Islam also create and maintain hagiographical texts concerning saints and other individuals believed to be imbued with the sacred.
The term "hagiographic" has also been used as a pejorative reference to the works of biographers and historians perceived to be uncritical or reverential to their subject. Almost all my books begin with an unpejoritive autohagiography.
See Through TV Screens
Samsung's new transparent LCD screen, is a breakthrough that could one day make any window into a display or touchscreen. The transparent screen is available to showrooms for display cases, but Samsung has been testing its invention on vending machines.
The clear glass on the machines' windows can advertise a particular product or display nutrition information. It has been a success, with sales in vending machines equipped with the transparent LCDs up 600% over others.
Normal TV screens require back or side lighting to display an image, but Samsung's transparent screen uses ambient light like sunlight or room lighting. That makes the product relatively cheap. New ideas for use might be bathroom mirrors, department store windows, and more.
The clear glass on the machines' windows can advertise a particular product or display nutrition information. It has been a success, with sales in vending machines equipped with the transparent LCDs up 600% over others.
Normal TV screens require back or side lighting to display an image, but Samsung's transparent screen uses ambient light like sunlight or room lighting. That makes the product relatively cheap. New ideas for use might be bathroom mirrors, department store windows, and more.
18 Common Words
What do all these words have in common? "Boredom", "flummox", "rampage", "butter-fingers", "tousled", "sawbones", "confusingly", "casualty ward", "allotment garden", "kibosh", "footlights", "dustbin", "fingerless", "fairy story", "messiness", "natural-looking", "squashed", "spectacularly". They were all invented / first used in print by Charles Dickens.
Closed Captions Updated
Ever since closed video captioning was developed in the 1970s, it hasn't changed much. The words spoken by the characters or narrators scroll along at the bottom of the screen.
A team of researchers from China and Singapore has developed a new closed captioning approach in which the text appears in translucent talk bubbles next to the speaker. The new approach improves the viewing experience for over 66 million people around the world who have hearing impairments.
They put scripts around the speaker's face and synchronously highlight the scripts. The new technique shows the text appears in different locations and styles to better reflect the speaker's identity and vocal dynamics.
Using a technique called visual saliency analysis, it automatically finds an optimal position for the talk bubble so that it interferes minimally with the visual scene. Professionals can also further adjust the generated captions, such as moving the talk bubbles. When the speaker is off-screen, or a narrator is speaking, the words appear at the bottom of the screen as in static closed captioning.
A team of researchers from China and Singapore has developed a new closed captioning approach in which the text appears in translucent talk bubbles next to the speaker. The new approach improves the viewing experience for over 66 million people around the world who have hearing impairments.
They put scripts around the speaker's face and synchronously highlight the scripts. The new technique shows the text appears in different locations and styles to better reflect the speaker's identity and vocal dynamics.
Using a technique called visual saliency analysis, it automatically finds an optimal position for the talk bubble so that it interferes minimally with the visual scene. Professionals can also further adjust the generated captions, such as moving the talk bubbles. When the speaker is off-screen, or a narrator is speaking, the words appear at the bottom of the screen as in static closed captioning.
Mar 30, 2012
Happy Friday
An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his mind and his eyes.
My mind is open, my eyes are open, and my mouth is ready to declare a Happy Friday!
My mind is open, my eyes are open, and my mouth is ready to declare a Happy Friday!
Robots in Healthcare
Toyota has developed robots for care support, in response to society's aging demographics. These robots have been co-developed with Fujita Health University. They utilize advanced technologies from Toyota, including motor control technology developed for automobiles, as well as walking control and sensor technology used in bipedal robots.
"The first feature I'd like to show you is the independent walking assistance. Even people with one leg paralyzed, due to a stroke or the like, retain the use of their groin muscles. So they can swing the leg forward. The amount of swinging motion depends on the wearer's intention. If the person wants to walk quickly, there's a lot of swinging, and if they want to walk slowly, there's less. And this is detected by a sensor on the thigh. There's also a load sensor on the sole of the foot, to detect when it touches the ground. The wearer's intention can be detected using just these two sensors."
The brace and backpack each weigh 3.5kg, with the backpack containing a battery and controller. When a commercial version is released, the weight of the backpack will be halved, so this part will fit into a waist pouch.
The automatic walking assist robot has also been used in tests to help with walking practice. By changing the support force as the patient recovers, this system can help people to practice walking naturally from the start.
In addition, Toyota is developing a balance training assist robot using its Winglet technology for personal mobility, and a robot that helps move people out of a bed and into a wheelchair.
"Moving someone onto the toilet used to require two people, but it can now be done by one person. We think this could reduce the burden on caregivers' backs, and also help patients feel more at ease."
Toyota aims to release all these robots from 2013 onward.
"The first feature I'd like to show you is the independent walking assistance. Even people with one leg paralyzed, due to a stroke or the like, retain the use of their groin muscles. So they can swing the leg forward. The amount of swinging motion depends on the wearer's intention. If the person wants to walk quickly, there's a lot of swinging, and if they want to walk slowly, there's less. And this is detected by a sensor on the thigh. There's also a load sensor on the sole of the foot, to detect when it touches the ground. The wearer's intention can be detected using just these two sensors."
The brace and backpack each weigh 3.5kg, with the backpack containing a battery and controller. When a commercial version is released, the weight of the backpack will be halved, so this part will fit into a waist pouch.
The automatic walking assist robot has also been used in tests to help with walking practice. By changing the support force as the patient recovers, this system can help people to practice walking naturally from the start.
In addition, Toyota is developing a balance training assist robot using its Winglet technology for personal mobility, and a robot that helps move people out of a bed and into a wheelchair.
"Moving someone onto the toilet used to require two people, but it can now be done by one person. We think this could reduce the burden on caregivers' backs, and also help patients feel more at ease."
Toyota aims to release all these robots from 2013 onward.
National Doctor's Day
March 30, 2012 is National Doctor's Day. The first observance of Doctor’s Day was in 1933 observed in Winder, Georgia on the 91st anniversary of the first administration of anesthesia by Dr. Crawford W. Long in 1842. It was proclaimed a national day of celebration beginning in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.
This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctor's Day.
Dr. Crawford W. Long performed the first operation while a patient was anesthetized by ether in 1842 as he removed a tumor from the neck of a boy.
This event has been celebrated as Doctors’ Day since this day in 1933. The idea of setting aside a day to honor physicians was conceived by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond. Doctors throughout the United States celebrate in Dr. Crawford W. Long’s honor and, in honor of ether as an anesthetic.
This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctor's Day.
Dr. Crawford W. Long performed the first operation while a patient was anesthetized by ether in 1842 as he removed a tumor from the neck of a boy.
This event has been celebrated as Doctors’ Day since this day in 1933. The idea of setting aside a day to honor physicians was conceived by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond. Doctors throughout the United States celebrate in Dr. Crawford W. Long’s honor and, in honor of ether as an anesthetic.
Johnny Carson
Millions were entertained for decades by the late night TV host of the Tonight Show. Here are a number of YouTube videos of some great moments for your viewing pleasure. LINK Save it for when you have a bunch of free time.
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