A Cholera Case was Confirmed in the US

A cholera case was confirmed today in Florida. The case is linked to a woman who had a previous contact about a month ago (before the epidemic began) with relatives in Haiti. Her situation has improved greatly and it is under control.

Reusable Shopping Bags: The Lead Concern

You probably already own one of them. These are the shopping bags promoted at grocery stores as "environmentally friendly" because you can bring them with you to store every time you shop for foods. Have you read the label on the bag? It says "Made in China". Well, this may not be surprising on its own, however recent reports suggest that these bags contain a significantly high amount of lead in them. It is not clear at this time whether lead can leach out of the bag material and contaminate the bag content. Senator Charles Schumer (D, New York) is calling for an investigation into this matter.

Antibiotics and Superbugs

Superbugs, like MRSA, are becoming a public health issue with increasing concerns. It is unfortunate that the pharmaceutical industry appears to not have any interest in producing new antibiotics to fight the ever resistant germs in the environment. The reason is simple. There is no money in developing new antibiotics. Unless the government offers incentives for developing new antibiotics the future to maintain our triumph against infections is fading quickly. We are about to go back to the era where garlic and colloidal silver are few of the infection fighters available to physicians. In fact, natural health professionals are calling to the re-institution of colloidal silver in the fight against microbes. (The list of germs that are affected by colloidal silver includes MRSA---according to promoters of this preparation.) Echinacea, goldenseal, and tea tree oil are just a few more examples of the anti-germs herbal armament. A sign of the time is the use of anti-bacterial products all over the places. They marketed to moms and dads convincing them that the way to protect their children is to keep them in a sterile environment. Really? Since when playing in the dirt, football, basketball, baseball, or soccer makes our kids more vulnerable to infections. It is on the contrary. The more they are exposed to natural environment the more their immune system becomes ready to fight these germs. The "anti-germ" industry has done a good job in convincing the public that using their products would protect us from germs. How could we hide from germs? They are everywhere. There isn't enough "anti-germ" products available on the market to destroy any significant amount of germs anywhere. In fact, healthy environment requires the presence of germs. It is unfortunate that these products are becoming the norm in our daily life. Human being is supposed to be a part of the environment and not isolated from it. We belong to nature as is and we ought not to destroy it. Otherwise, the consequences of such damage to the environment is severe. MRSA and its sisters and brothers are just the beginning. Isn't time for human to begin nurturing the environment instead of destroying it?

Garlic

Garlic is a famous herb in gourmet foods. One serious interaction of garlic with drugs is with oral anti-diabetic medications. Garlic can, on its own, decrease blood sugar, and thus it enhances the action of these medications leading to hypoglycemia.

Ginseng

Ginseng is a tonic herb. It should be avoided in a couple of situations. Ginseng should not consumed by pregnant women nor should it be taken by patients who suffer from high blood pressure.

December 21, 2012

This date is becoming as familiar as Sunday to Christians. The importance of 12.21.2012 is the fact that it may the beginning of the end of planet Earth. Whether a man-made disaster (nuclear war), a comet hitting the planet, or other natural disasters (earthquakes, coastal flood, etc.) no one exactly knows. In fact, it is still debatable that 12.21.2012 is the doom day. I have heard preachers talking about it, philosophers, astronomers, professors, butchers, and milkmen. What it tells me that there is a universal anguish about this date. With the exception of one zero, the date is made-up of ones (3 ones) and twos (4 twos). I wonder if that of any significance. I am certain someone will have an explanation to these ones and twos. I am also certain it will be a depressing explanation.

Gold, Silver, or Dollars

I am not an economist. I am not an expert in gold, silver, or money either. More and more people are telling me to convert my cash (dollars) into gold or silver. (Most are advocating gold over silver.) The premise for that is the dollar power is diminishing because the government is printing money that is not necessary backed by gold. More cash floating on the market may stimulate the economy, but at the same time reduces the power of the almighty dollar. Their solution: convert your dollar into gold. Gold prices are rising daily and are keeping up with the economy. More money on the market means it cost more to buy foods, gas, cloth, etc... It also means that minimum wages must rise to meet the pressure of inflated prices. I have not panicked yet because I do not think this will happen. However, teachers, pastors, radio-talk shows, and others have been on the bandwagon preaching and advocating the case of gold. Unfortunately, the price of gold has been rising at a rate that the average American cannot afford it. Perhaps this will bring down the price of gold, and with the economy is recovering fast, the almighty dollar rules.

Acetate Buffer with a Buffer Capacity of 0.05 and a pH of 4.76: Calculations

In making buffer solutions, the buffer capacity of the solution is usually kept between 0.01 and 0.1. The maximum buffer capacity is observed at pH = pKa. For example, for an acetate buffer with a maximum buffer capacity of 0.05, the quantities of sodium acetate and acetic acid proceeds as follow: the pH of the buffer is 4.76 which is equals the pKa value. Thus, equal molar concentrations of the salt and the acid are used. The maximum buffer capacity = 0.05 = 0.576 C. Therefore, C = 0.0868 M. Thus, (0.5) (0.0868) = 0.0434 M of acetic acid and 0.0434 M of sodium acetate are used to produce an acetate buffer with a pH of 4.76.

Statins and Cancer Development

Statins are a group of drugs that reduce blood cholesterol level. In a recent study done by the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that the rate of cancer was 11.3% for patients taking statins for at least five years. This cancer rate was similar to that of the population, specifically for cancer of prostate, bladder, kidneys, pancreas, colon and rectum, lung, or breast. A piece of good news emerged from the ACS analysis; the cancer rate for the deadly skin disease melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and endometrial cancer were all reduced for patients taking statins (for a minimum of 5 years).

Racial Differences for Lung Cancer

According to reports from the CDC, black and white patients suffer the most from lung cancer than other racial groups. Black patients had the highest prevalence for the disease followed in a decreasing order by whites, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. It is unclear at this point why a racial difference exists with respect to lung cancer.

Who Pays for Drug Review Done by the FDA?

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged in approving pharmaceutical products to be placed on the market. The main two components of this FDA approval are the Safety and Efficacy of the product. There is no such chemical that does not cause side effects if taken internally. However, the FDA considers in its approval process a balance between these two factors. A drug with a poor safety profile would never reach the market despite its efficacy. Or would it? Drugs are routinely removed from the market by the FDA for safety reasons. In fact, more than 6,500 pharmaceutical products are pulled out the pharmacy shelves since 1975! The process of FDA approval is tedious and requires experts panels to make a "recommendation" whether a pharmaceutical product should be available to the public. The decision is not always a straight forward one, and oftentimes the line between approval and denial is blurred. Surveys have revealed that "experts" sitting on these FDA panels oftentimes have ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and even ties to the same company its product is under review. Moreover, the Congress has passed laws to require that the cost of pharmaceutical products' review be paid, in part, by the pharmaceutical company sponsoring the submission. The FDA is being paid by the same sponsor to review the sponsor's product?! The Congress had good intention to shift the burden of cost from the taxpayer to the pharmaceutical industry, however by doing so has created a "conflict of interest". I propose a solution to this dilemma. Perhaps we can keep the burden of cost for review on the pharmaceutical industry, however the FDA will hire a private agency to submit the recommendation to it for approval. The private agency will be paid by the FDA, and decisions on the product rest solely with the private agency. As a requirement, the private agency's employees must have no ties with the pharmaceutical industry. And, for the FDA to over rule the recommendations of the private agency, the FDA has to come up with scientifically good reasons reviewed and approved by the Institute of Medicine. The system as it is now does not protect the consumer from "bad drugs". The recent cases with the COX-2 inhibitor drugs (anti-inflammatory agents) and their dangerous side effects on the heart muscle beg the question: Who is really watching out for us when it comes to drug safety?

What is the Calculated pH of Vinegar?

Vinegar is a 5% solution of acetic acid in water. To estimate the pH of vinegar at room temperature, we can calculate the hydronium ions concentration in vinegar by: [H+] = Square-root [(0.0000175) x (1.042)] = 0.00427 mole/L. The pH of vinegar is, therefore, {pH = - log [H+] = - log (0.00427) = 2.37}. Thus, vinegar stored at room temperature has a pH of 2.37 (calculated). Fasting stomach pH is normally between 1 and 3. Elderly people often suffer from low acidity in their stomach. Naturopathic physicians usually recommend the use of apple cider vinegar with meals to facilitate digestion. The pH of the stomach is important for proper digestion, because pepsin (the gastric enzyme responsible for digesting proteins) requires an acidic pH (usually about pH = 2.5) to be active. Basic pH environment deactivates pepsin, and patients suffer from indigestion.

Genetically Engineered Living Organisms

It is no secret that scientists have the technology to manipulate life. For example, in the field of medicine, genetically engineered bacteria are used to produce human insulin commonly used in the management of diabetes. (The old forms of insulin were from animal origin.) However, how would a genetically engineered mosquito impact on life itself? Would such new organism tilt the echo balance of our planet? I'd think so. For more information on this subject, see our Blog Posts on Dengue Fever.

Probability of Winning in McDonald's Monopoly Game

The McDonald's Monopoly Game (c) has ended on November 1, 2010. It was active between October 5th and November 1st. If you bought certain meals from the chain restaurant you would get Monopoly (c) chips with your purchase. If you collected a certain area on the Monopoly (c) board you would win a specific prize, including $1 million for the two blue chips. Among the prizes were also meals such as a medium french fries or a breakfast sandwich. The claim was that 1 out of 4 could win (25%) "something". A win was defined as any "win" (i.e., a small french fries and $1 million were both equally classified as a "win"). In a small experiment, I calculated the probability of getting 12 "wins" out of 108 chips (i.e., Pr (x = 12) given probability of "win" per chip was 25% and the total number of trials of 108). That probability was only approximately 0.11% (0.0011) (a very unusual event) based on binomial distribution calculations. I guess when you do not have luck, even McDonald's (c) classifies you as a looser.

Real Men Wear Gowns

This month is for Prostate Cancer. Remember, "Real Men Wear Gowns." If not for yourself, do it for your family.

Genetically Engineered Mosquitoe

The British seemingly have succeeded in modifying the genes in male mosquitoes to make them dependent on the antibiotic tetracycline. Without it the mosquitoes simply die. They experienced recently on a limited basis in the Cayman Islands and were successful in wiping out 80% of the mosquito population in a matter of six months. The experiment was performed by releasing the genetically engineered male mosquitoes to the environment, when these mosquitoes began to produce offspring, the newly formed mosquitoes died immediately after birth. The gene was transferred to the offspring and the "baby mosquitoes" needed tetracycline like a new puppy needs his mother's milk. Without tetracycline, the newly formed mosquitoes simply died.

Where is the CDC: Dengue Fever

On February 28, 2009, BMP reported the presence of Dengue Fever cases in Bolivia. The disease spread gradually to other neighboring countries (Argentina and the Dominican Republic) and is now present on the U.S. soil. We appeal to the CDC to take measures and warn the public on the danger of this disease. Mosquito control is of utmost importance, and the British seemingly have created a genetically engineered mosquito that can wipe out the mosquito population in a matter of few months (see our other posts on Dengue Fever). However, using such a method can be devastating to the echo system. Dengue Fever is already in Florida, and it may begin to spread to neighboring states. CDC, if you are listening, please warn the public to take appropriate precautions.

November is Prostate Cancer Month

While October is Breast Cancer month, the month of November is dedicated to Prostate Cancer. More death occurs from Prostate Cancer than from Breast Cancer. Unfortunately, men do not consult with physicians as do women. Thus, many Prostate Cancer cases go undetected for many years. It is highly recommended that all men 50 years or older undergo a prostate screening exam (digital exam) and a blood test (PSA). Those with a family history for Prostate Cancer (or any other types of cancer) should start the exam earlier at age 40. PSA on its own is not good enough to detect Prostate Cancer, and with a digital exam the odds for detecting an early cancer are greater. The digital exam, although slightly unpleasant, does not cause pain at all; it causes mild discomfort for perhaps 10 to 15 seconds. Do not let a 15-second discomfort to kill you. Man-up and make your appointment with your doctor today. Do it for your family and yourself.

Infectious Diseases: Cholera and Polio

You probably already heard about the outbreak of cholera in Haiti, but did you hear about Polio? According to United Nations sources, an outbreak of Polio cases has been reported mainly in the city of Pointe-Noire in Congo-Brazzaville. The number of death from Polio is stated to be close to 100 and over 220 persons have been paralyzed. It seems that this outbreak is fast moving and infecting many in this West African nation.

Melanoma Screening

The highest incidence of melanoma (a deadly skin cancer type) is found in males aged 50 years or older. Yet these patients do not seem to submit themselves to skin screening. Recent studies found that only 1 in 4 patients in this age group undergo regular skin screening.

Acute Kidney Injury

Two biomarkers in urine may be linked to acute kidney injury, according to recent studies. These are the monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and its mRNA.