Andrew Griffith's Blog, page 13

Stand-Up Desks Gaining Favor in the Workplace – NYTimes.com

Market response to the risks of sitting (I am looking into laptop holders for our spinner): The research comes more from observing the health results of people’s behavior than from discovering the biological and genetic triggers that may be associated with extended sitting. Still, scientists have determined that after an hour or more of sitting, [...]

Futurity.org – We tolerate pain better when doctors listen

While a ridiculously small sample (9 women), this does make intuitive sense. Empathy reduces tension, makes us more relaxed, and thus could help reduce perceived pain. Quote: “Medicine has for too long focused just on the physical dimensions of the patient,” says Robert Smith, professor of medicine, who co-authored the paper. “Those clinical questions are [...]

Good News About Cancer Infographic

While the information and messaging are all good, I really find the colour scheme and layout jarring and distracting from the content. For the aficionados of infographics, do you have the same reaction? Good News About Cancer Infographic. Filed under: Cancer, Lymphoma Tagged: cancer risks, exercise, Health, Health Blog, infographic, lifestyle, nutrition

Stressés, les Français boivent et fument trop | Actualité | LeFigaro.fr – Santé

While French living expectancy is better than many countries, some similar patterns in terms of smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise. One thing I always notice in many European countries is the prevalence of cigarette smoke even if indoor smoking is increasingly banned. Quote: Cette enquête nous rappelle aussi que 38% des Français [...]

BBC News – Cancer: Not only a rich-world disease

A good vignette of cancer care in Uganda (and by extension, other developing countries). Largest killer in developing countries according to the article, although funding less than other developing country diseases (TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS). Quote: In some tribal languages, there is no word for it. “They don’t have early diagnosis. They don’t actually even know [...]

Does Neuroscience need a Newton? | The Scicurious Brain, Scientific American Blog Network

Further to my earlier post on the limits of neuroscience, particularly its popularization and over attribution (Neuroscience – Under Attack), a good piece on the limits of neuroscience and the complexity of the human brain by Scicurious. Quote: If there was a neuroscience Newton, they existed back when we were first discovering the building blocks. [...]

New Meaning and Drive in Life After Cancer – NYTimes.com

Some vignettes from the American Cancer Society’s Picture Your Life in Cancer book. Many of the messages are familiar, and a nice way to personalize what it means to be living with cancer. Quote: Indeed, a common theme of the “Picture Your Life” project is that cancer spurs people to take long-delayed trips, seek out [...]

Why I’m proud to have no Klout – FT.com

Funny and perceptive column by Lucy Kellaway on Klout and its attempts to measure influence in social media. Quote: It is also hard to respect a system in which Justin Bieber (whose moronic Twitter page says: “you are always there for me and I will always be there for you. MUCH LOVE”) is the only [...]

Incidence of preclinical manifestations of mantle cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma in situ in reactive lymphoid tissues : Modern Pathology

While written in ‘medicalese’, some progress in earlier detection of mantle cell lymphoma, but still at the research stage. Given that many of us are diagnosed at stage III or IV, further progress in earlier detection would be progress. But a number of years away in terms of clinical impact. Quote: In mantle cell lymphoma [...]

Why not choose death? – Sunrise Rounds | Sunrise Rounds

Another piece on the question of physician assisted suicide (see Four Myths About Doctor-Assisted Suicide and Suicide by Choice? Not So Fast). I am not quite sure the distinction is quite as clear as Sunrise Rounds makes it out, but he lays out the concerns and issues very well. Quote: The physician-patient relationship by definition focuses [...]