VOLUME 2; ISSUE 1 APRIL 2010

CHEMVIBES
C H E N G A L P A T T U M E D I C A L C O L L E G E

F r o m t h e e d i t o r i a l b o a r d . . .

Hi friends !

A new avatar– when we sat down to create the issue you’re holding
in your hands, the only thought in our minds was to redesign the news-
letter which you would enjoy reading .

In this first issue of 2010 we have highlighted the top 10 medical inno-
vations of last year. We have increased the content of medical articles
– articles which we hope are worth your time spent reading.

Medical Myth Buster, Health tip, and for the fun part, Medtoon,
are some of the sections we have added to the classical issue– we
plan to add more in future.

We hope to get a feedback from you on this issue- so write in to our

email address [email protected] or SMS to 9444969384
along with your name and college and share your thoughts with us
and your ideas to improve Chemvibes. Happy Reading !!

P.SUBRAMANI M.SOWMYA
MAGAZINE SECRETARY JT.MAGAZINE SECRETARY

1
MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION
EX.OFFICIO PRESIDENT

DR.P.SHANMUGAM, M.S., M.CH.,

DEAN

EX.OFFICIO VICE PRESIDENT

DR.P.PARASAKTHI, M.D.,
VICE PRINCIPAL

TREASURER

DR.RAVI, M.D.,
DEPT. OF PATHOLOGY

STAFF ADVISORS

DR.EDWIN FERNANDO, M.D., D.M.,

DEPT. OF NEPHROLOGY

DR. UMA SHANTHI, M.D., D.G.O.,

DEPT OF O.G

EDITORS

P.SUBRAMANI

M.SOWMYA

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

UNIVERSITY EXAM RESULTS 24

MEDTOON, HEALTH TIP 26

PEGylated DENDRIMERS 27

MEDNEWS 38

TOPIC OF THE MONTH: WOULD YOU

CHOOSE YOUR CHILD’S GENDER ? 415

SURPRISING HEADACHE TRIGGERS 517

LOGIC IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED 622

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

* From the swine flu vaccine to electric eyes, 2009 has

seen breakthrough innovations.
* Some are still in development, but many may have been
perceived as impossible a year ago.
* Chemvibes rounds up the most impressive health inno-
vations of 2009.

1) H1N1 swine flu vaccine is possibly the most important

health breakthrough of 2009. The vaccine was developed
in record time with only 5 months between the first re-
ported cases in late march 2009 and the completion of the first suc-
cessful clinical trials by chinese company Sinovac Biotech in mid au-
gust. The vaccine either contain the inactive influenza virus or weak-
ened live virus. The inactive vaccine is injected while the live vaccine
is given as a nasal spray. Both are produced by growing the virus in
chicken eggs.

2) The "Electric Eye", a microchip under development, will

not restore complete vision, but will make it possible to
recognise faces, see shadows and navigate a room or street
without assistance. The chip will be implanted onto a patient's eye-
ball. The patient will then wear a pair of eyeglasses equipped with a
tiny camera that can transmit images directly to the chip, which in
turn sends images directly to the brain.

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 3) Scientists have developed a new kind of hearing aid
that does not encumber patients with the usual problems
such as low batteries, having to remove the device before
showering or sleeping and over amplified noises. "The Lyric", made
by U.S. company Insound Medical, avoids the possible dangers of
surgery by being hidden deep inside the ear canal, one sixth of an
inch from ear drum. The device is worn 24 hours a day and need to
be replaced 3-4 times per year.

4) Scientists in Italy have developed a new technique to regen-

erate broken bones, by using small pieces of wood.
The researchers found that certain types of wood,
such as red oak, have a spongy texture that very
closely resemble bone. Doctors plan to use small
fragments of the wood to help stimulate the body's
own repair process.

5) An electromagnet head piece could help millions of people

with depression who have not been helped by antidepres-
sants. The NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Therapy System pulses magnetic fields into a patients' pre-
frontal cortex, the part which regulates mood. This stimu-
lates neurons to make more mood enhancing chemicals.

6) Following the 2003 SARS/Bird Flu outbreak,

Hong Kong-based biotech company Filligent spent 6
years and $10 million developing the anti-viral Bio-
Mask, perfectly timed for the H1N1 virus outbreak in
2009. Unlike other face masks, the Biomask traps and
kills dangerous pathogens and chemicals in the air or inactivate
them before they can enter the body.

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 7) Your wallpaint could protect you from dangerous bacte-
ria, according to scientists at the University of South Da-
kota. They have invented a germ-killing molecule that can
be added to paint and cloth to give it antimicrobial properties. The
bleach like substance is called N-halamine cl-TMPM.

8) Medical company 3M have invented the

Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, the
first electronic stethoscope that uses Bluetooth
technology to transfer information to a computer.
The stethoscope transfers heart, lung and other
body sounds to a software called Zargis Cardioscan, which can per-
form in-depth analysis.

9) A team of Stanford engineering students has

designed the cheapest replacement knee in the world,
at app. $20 a piece. The Jaipur Knee mimics natural
joint movements and is already in use by 300 people in
India.

10 ) Until recently, organs waiting to be trans-

planted were rushed to the patient in a freezer. But
after five hours in the freezer, the heart or lung or
liver organ will usually detoriarate so much that it be-
comes useless. This time frame puts incredible pres-
sure on doctor and patient to be ready as soon as the
organ is. Now a machine that keeps the organ warm
instead of cold, and constantly pumps it with blood, oxygen and nu-
trients, has stretched this time period to nearly 12 hours. The organ
Care System, developed by TransMedics, has even made cross-
country transplantaion possible, such as one case when a heart was
rushed from Germany to Greece. The system is currently on the mar-
ket in Europe for heart and lung transplants●

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The stress hormone cortisol shrinks the brain's
memory centers and can hamper one's ability to
learn and recall. Cutting stress is an important first
step to preserving memory.

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 PEGylated Dendrimers : A Novel
Mechanism of Drug Delivery

Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science (MIPS) re-

searchers, in collaboration with the biotechnology company
Starpharma Holdings Ltd have developed a new method to de-
liver medications that may benefit thousands of patients with
particular types of cancer, HIV and lymphatic conditions world-
wide.

The Melbourne-based research team has shown how PEGylated

polylysine dendrimers, a new type of nano-sized drug delivery
system, can be altered to target either the lymphatic system
or the bloodstream.

Dendrimers are precisely defined, synthetic nanomaterials that

are approximately 5-10 nanometres in diameter. They are made
up of layers of polymer surrounding a central core. The den-
drimer surface contains many different sites to which drugs
may be attached and also attachment sites for materials such
as polyethylene glycol (PEG) which can be used to modify the
way the dendrimer interacts with the body.

PEG can be attached to the dendrimer to 'disguise' it and pre-

vent the body's defence mechanisms from detecting it,
thereby slowing the process of breakdown. This allows the de-
livery system to circulate in the body for an extended time pe-
riod, maximising the opportunities for the drug to reach the
relevant sites●
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*Stereo mammography-
mammography-a big leap in breast
imaging
Stereoscopic digital mammography, a new diagnostic
technique capable of producing three-dimensional, in-depth
views of breast tissue, could significantly reduce the number
of women who are recalled for additional tests following rou-
tine screening mammography. Results of a clinical trial being
conducted at Emory University Breast Clinic in Atlanta were
presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of
North America (RSNA).
Stereoscopic digital mammography consists of two digital x-
ray images of the breast acquired from two different points
of view separated by about eight degrees. When the images
are viewed on a stereo display workstation, the radiologist is
able to see the internal structure of the breast in three di-
mensions. In the ongoing clinical trial, researchers use a full-
field digital mammography unit modified to take stereo pairs
of images. The workstation enables the mammographer to
fuse the stereo image pair and to view the breast in depth.
In the study, stereo mammography reduced false positives by
49%. This huge drop in percentage has strong implications
with regard to needless cost in time and money.

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*New blood biomarker to predict
cancer spread
Recent research came up with a new blood
biomarker that has a high accuracy of predicting the spread of
prostate cancer to other parts of the body through the lymph
nodes. Such spreading of cancer cells are usually not detected
by conventional imaging methods like CT scans. This new blood
test measures the level of endoglin, a plasma biomarker which
was also studied to predict the spread of colon and breast can-
cer.The levels of endoglin in the blood were associated with in-
creased risk of cancer cells spreading to the lymph nodes. Each
1ng/mL increase of plasma endoglin increases the risk of cancer
spread by 17 percent.

*Latest Technology in Hearing Aids

Siemens, one of the leaders in hearing tech-
nology, introduced one of their most advanced
hearing devices.

Meet Artis 2 “helping people with hearing loss fully appreciate

all that life has to offer”. Artis 2 is a smart little device that
learns the wearer’s volume preference, so that it adjusts auto-
matically while it is being worn. Artis 2 actually records and
stores hearing aid use data so your hearing health professional
can access the data for quick adjustments as needed. This tiny
little device is so smart, it utilizes wireless technology. Yes,
both ear pieces can communicate with each other wirelessly.

The Artis 2 can also differentiate between sound and just

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plain noise by upping the volume on speech while reducing
background sound. The screeching feedback problems have
also been reduced digitally with feedback cancellation.

Whew. All this high technology packed in one tiny device!

*Spinal Cord Injury, Stem Cell and

Nanotechnology
Scar tissues develop around a spinal cord injury, block-
ing neuron fibers that are supposed to repair the damaged
site. Researchers from Northwestern University developed a
nano-engineered gel that prevents the formation of scar tis-
sue, allowing neuron stem cells to penetrate the inured site
and grow nerve fibers. The gel also instructs stem cells to
produce myelin, instead of producing scar tissues.
This technology has shown positive results with mice experi-
ments. A mice that has spinal cord injury was able to use
their hind legs in walking six weeks after being injected with
the gel. Although not all treatments in mice works in humans,
there is still a possibility that it could work.

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*Filtering the Blood of Infectious Bacteria/
Viruses
Called the HemoPurifier, it is a machine similar to a dialy-
sis machine that uses filters to take out viruses and bacteria
from the blood, which can be used for extreme cases of infec-
tion. The filter consists of tiny fibers that have active filter-
ing abilities, attracting specific bugs (viruses and bacteria) to
lessen their numbers to a manageable level that is controllable
through regular drug treatment. The device works by drawing
blood from an artery, then filtering it through the mesh of fi-
bers that attracts the bugs that are to be removed thus ex-
tending the life of people who have severe infections.
The key is the filters that are treated with specific agents
that are able to attract specific bugs, one filter for the AIDS
virus, another for Flu and so on and so forth. The whole blood
volume circulates through the filter once every eight minutes
and full treatment can take as little as a month with each round
taking an hour or so to complete. This breakthrough can allow
better treatment of such deadly diseases such as Ebola and
other highly contagious bugs that are currently killing more
people each and every year●

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 MEDICAL MYTH BUSTER

WE USE ONLY 10% OF OUR

OUR BRAINS

The theory for using only 10% of our brainpower is there for
almost a century. Sometimes this belief is charged to Albert
Einstein but this has not been recorded to any report or
statement. It is believed that they reason for carrying out
this myth for so many years is to stress people the importance
of self-improvement.

Evidence from studies of brain damage, brain imaging, localisation

of function, microstructural analysis, and metabolic studies show
that people use much more than 10% of their brains.

Studies of patients with brain injury suggest that damage to

almost any area of the brain has specific and lasting effects
on mental, vegetative, and behavioural capabilities. Numerous
types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain
is completely silent or inactive. The many functions of the
brain are highly localised, with different tasks allocated to
different anatomical regions. Detailed probing of the brain has
failed to identify the "non-functioning" 90%. Even micro-level
localisation, isolating the response of single neurones, reveals
no gaps or inactive areas. Metabolic studies, tracking differ-
ential rates of cellular metabolism within the brain, reveal no
dormant areas.

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 ALTERNATIVE TO OPEN HEART
SURGERY
Interventional Cardiologists Help
The Faint Of Heart Without Surgery...
Surgery...

Interventional cardiologists have created an alternative to

open heart surgery by developing a mitral valve clip. To allevi-
ate mitral valve regurgitation--a condition where the heart's
mitral valve does not close properly, allowing blood to leak back
into the heart--cardiologists insert a catheter into the pa-
tient's groin that travels up into the mitral valve. The clip is
fed through this catheter, where it finally grasps and tightens
the valves' leaflets--effectively preventing blood from leaking.
The clip remains in place while the catheter is removed, the en-
tire procedure taking approximately two hours and recovery a
few weeks. The procedure is good for those with weaker
hearts, when traditional surgery is more dangerous●

PARALYZED MAN 'TURNS THOUGHTS

INTO SOUNDS'
An experimental system is letting a paralyzed man
turn his thoughts into the beginnings of real-time
speech, according to researchers.

Erik Ramsey, 26, from Georgia, in the U.S., suffered a stroke

after a car accident at the age of 16, leaving him with Locked-
in Syndrome.

Ramsey is completely paralyzed and currently able to communi-

cate only by blinking his eyes. But researchers at Boston Uni-
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versity have implanted an electrode into his brain that lets him
convert his thoughts into vowel sounds produced by a voice syn-
thesizer.

The technology is an example of a "Brain Computer Inter-

face" (BCI) -- systems that let people use their thoughts to
communicate with computers.

What's different about this is that the user directly con-

trols sound output of the computer, rather than typing in
words.The user learns to control it more like a prosthetic
tongue than a typing system. He's directly trying to control
the sound output by thinking about making sounds with his
mouth.The Boston researchers first identified the part of
Ramsey's brain involved in producing speech by scanning his

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brain while he attempted to speak.

They then surgically implanted a Neurotrophic electrode -- a

glass cone less than one millimeter in length, containing three
wires each thinner than a human hair -- into the speech-related
motor cortex in Ramsey's brain.

When Ramsey tries to produce vowel sounds the electrode re-

cords neural signals from his brain. An FM radio transmitter
implanted underneath the scalp then sends them wirelessly
across his skull.

The signals are decoded by a computer, finally driving a speech

synthesizer, which produces audible vowel sounds. The whole
process, from thought to sound production, takes about 50 mil-
liseconds -- around the same speed as normal speech●

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 Genetic screening techniques that allow
parents to choose their children's gender
are now more accurate than ever and are
becoming increasingly mainstream, but
experts are divided over whether the
technology should be used in this way.

A technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis

(PGD) was originally developed two decades ago to allow em-
bryos to be tested for genetic disease. It requires parents
to use in vitro fertilization, where eggs are fertilized out-
side the womb.

With PGD, the embryos are tested for genetic disorders

and only those that are free of disease are transferred to
the mother's uterus. It means that parents who carry ge-
netic defects can ensure they don't pass on a genetic illness
to their children.

But PGD also can also be used to allow people undergoing in-
vitro fertilization to select the gender of the embryo im-
planted in the mother's uterus.

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Using PGD for gender selection is banned in most countries,
but it is legal in the U.S., where the procedure costs around
$18,000, including in-vitro fertilization.

Critics question the ethics of gender selection, and some ar-

gue that it could lead to a gender imbalance, particularly in
societies with a traditional preference for boys.

Although the technology for gender selection is becoming

more widespread, it remains controversial. Some feel that it's
"playing God," while others welcome having more choice in
family planning.

What about you? Would you choose your child's gender? ●

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S
U
Anything that boosts your
R stress level can make you more
P vulnerable to tension head-
R aches or migraines.
I
S
I
N
G —Tension headaches are thought to be caused by a height-
ened sensitivity of nerve pathways in the brain that relay
pain.
H
E — Migraines come from changes within the brain itself. Dur-
@ ing a migraine, brain signals trigger the release of chemicals
that alter blood vessel dilation. These signals also activate
D inflammation in the brain, which can lead to a migraine
@ headache.
C
H *Warm Weather
When the temperature climbs, so does the likelihood of de-
E veloping a migraine or other severe headache. In one recent
study, researchers found a 7.5% increase in headache risk
T for every 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Low barometric pressure,
which often precedes rain, was linked to a small bump in
R non-migraine headaches.
I
G *Strong Scents
G Strong smells -- even nice ones -- trigger migraines in many
E people. Why this happens is unclear, but the odors may
R stimulate the nervous system. The most common culprits
are paint, dust, perfume, and certain types of flowers.
S
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*Hair Accessories
How you wear your hair can take a toll on your head. A tight pony-
tail may strain the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to a
hairdo headache. Headbands, braids, and tight-fitting hats can cre-
ate the same effect. If this is the cause of your headache, letting
your hair down usually brings fast relief.
Physical exertion causes blood vessels in the head, neck, and
scalp to swell, producing a build-up in pressure. Examples include
jogger’s headache

*Poor Posture
You don’t have to work up a sweat to build pressure in the head
and neck muscles. Slouching at your desk will do the job, too.
Common forms of poor posture include hunching your shoulders,
using a chair with no lower-back support, staring at a monitor that
is too low or too high, and cradling a phone between your ear and
shoulder. If you have frequent tension headaches, take a good
look at your workspace.

*Cheese
One of the most common migraine triggers is aged cheese, includ-
ing blue cheese, brie, cheddar, feta, mozzarella, parmesan, and
Swiss. The culprit is a substance called tyramine, which forms
when certain types of protein break down. The longer a food ages,
the more tyramine it contains.

*Skipping Meals
Hunger headaches aren’t always obvious. If you skip a meal, your
head could start to ache before you realize you’re hungry. The
trouble is a dip in blood sugar. But don’t try to cure a hunger head-
ache with a candy bar. Sweets cause blood sugar to spike and
then drop even lower.

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*Smoking
Smoking is known to trigger headaches -- and not just in the per-
son holding the cigarette. Secondhand smoke contains nicotine,
which causes blood vessels in the brain to narrow. Giving up ciga-
rettes or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke appears espe-
cially helpful to patients with cluster headaches. These are ex-
tremely painful one-sided headaches that occur in groups.
*Caffeine
For the headache-prone, caffeine fits firmly into the category of
“can’t live with it, can’t live without it.” In moderation, caffeine is of-
ten beneficial -- in fact, it’s found in many headache medications.
But chain-chugging coffee can be a cause of headaches. And, if
you’re hooked on caffeine, cutting back abruptly may only make
things worse. Caffeine withdrawal is another headache trigger

—— Anushri. S, CHMC
Celestians ‘06

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Hello doc...
An elderly man has just moved to a new town, when he is
taken ill and decides that he needs to see a doctor.

In the doctor's waiting room, he tries to find out a bit about

the doctor. He asks the man sitting next to him if the doctor
is a specialist.

The man replies that the doctor specializes in 'everything'.

The man thinks about this and looks nervous. He asks the man
if the doctor's fees are expensive.

The man says: "Well, he is and he isn't. You see, he charges

you one thousand dollars for your first visit."

The man looks even more worried now and exclaims in amaze-
ment, "A thousand dollars?!"

The man replies, "Yes, but all your visits after that for the
rest of your life are free!"

The man thinks about this, and then gets called by the nurse
to go in to see the doctor.

On entering the doctor's office he says casually . . .

. . . "Hello doctor, here I am again!"

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 Making Cells Feel Right At Home

The film "Avatar" isn't the only 3-D

blockbuster making a splash this winter. A
team of Houston scientists have unveiled a
new technique for growing 3-D cell cultures, a technological
leap from the flat petri dish that could save millions of dollars
in drug-testing costs.

The 3-dimensional technique is easy enough for most labs to

set up immediately. It uses magnetic forces to levitate cells
while they divide and grow. Compared with cell cultures grown
on flat surfaces, the 3-D cell cultures tend to form tissues
that more closely resemble those inside the body.

To make cells levitate, the research team modified a combina-

tion of gold nanoparticles and engineered viral particles called
"phage". The 3-D modeling raises another interesting long-term
possibility●

A potent new inhibitor of HIV, derived from bananas, may

open the door to new treatments to prevent sexual trans-
mission of HIV.

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Scientists have an emerging interest in lectins, naturally occur-
ring chemicals in plants, because of their ability to halt the
chain of reaction that leads to a variety of infections. Some of
the most promising compounds for inhibiting vaginal and rectal
HIV transmission are agents that block the virus prior to inte-
gration into its target cell.

The new study describes the complex actions of lectins and

their ability to outsmart the HIV virus. Lectins are sugar-
binding proteins. They can identify foreign invaders, like a vi-
rus, in the body, and attach themselves to the pathogen.

The problem with some HIV drugs is that the virus can mutate
and become resistant, but that's much harder to do in the
presence of lectins. Lectins can bind to the sugars found on
different spots of the HIV-1 envelope, and presumably it will
take multiple mutations for the virus to get around them●

A new research reveals that

mosquito genetic engineering may turn the
transmitter into a natural “flying
Vaccinator”, providing a new strategy for
biological control over malaria.

The research targets the saliva gland of the Anopheles ste-

phensi mosquitoes, the main vectors of human malaria. Follow-
ing bites, protective immune responses are induced, just like
a conventional vaccination but with no pain and no cost,

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More continuous exposure to bites will maintain high levels of
protective immunity, through natural boosting, for a life time.
So the insect shifts from being a pest to being beneficial, ac-
cording to the research.

While 'flying vaccinator' theory may now be scientifically

possible the question of ethics hangs over the application of
the research. A natural and uncontrolled method of delivering
vaccines, without dealing with dosage and consent, alongside
public acceptance to the release of 'vaccinating' mosquitoes,
provide barriers to this method of disease control●

One of the first issues for a

newly diagnosed patient is to consider
whether the diagnosis is correct. It is
important to validate a diagnosis and be
certain of its accuracy. It is prudent to
attempt to confirm a diagnosis via meth-
ods such as seeking second opinions, consulting specialists,
getting further medical tests, and researching information
about the medical condition. But in most of the cases, the
factors responsible for the correct management of cases are
LOGIC and COMMON SENSE.

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Let us take this example (which we have adapted from a fa-
mous television series) of a 29 year old woman who was a school
teacher and had her first seizure one month ago during which
she became dysarthric followed by tonic-clonic motor activity.
Protein markers for the 3 most prevalent brain cancers were
negative. The patient's symptoms did not respond to radiation.
There was no past medical history, she was not on any medica-
tions, there were no known allergies.

A head CT with IV contrast (to rule out a mass lesion and/or

hematoma) was performed, which revealed no abnormalities.

Aneurysm, stroke, ischemic disease, Creutzfeld-Jacobs dis-

ease, and Wernicke's encephalopathy were considered as possi-
ble diagnoses.

A normal thiamine level precluded a diagnosis of Wernicke's

encephalopathy. A contrast MRI was scheduled to be per-
formed but had to be stopped because the patient had an ana-
phylactic reaction to the gadolinium contrast and had to be
treated with epinephrine Emergency tracheostomy performed,
and an endotracheal tube was placed and promptly removed the
next day. A diagnosis of cerebral vasculitis was considered,
which would be consistent with the elevated erythrocyte sedi-
mentation rate (despite the fact that the elevation was only
mild). Steroids were given, to which the patient responded well.
Environmental exposure to allergens at the patient's school was
considered, but none was found, The patient's elementary
school students did reveal the presence of a parrot at the
school, which led to the consideration of psittacosis.

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However, the fact that none of the schoolchildren were ill
meant that this was likely not the cause of the patient's symp-
toms. The following day, the patient experienced temporary
blindness

followed by a generalized tonic-clonic seizure with supraven-

tricu

lar tachycardia up to 211 progressing to asystole, saturating

96% on room air. The patient was resuscitated with external
defibrillation and experienced postictal confusion for 5 min-
utes, after which her mental status returned to baseline. Dif-
ferential diagnoses under consideration included tumor, infec-
tious processes, and vascular processes. In order to differenti-
ate the 3 processes, all treatment was stopped to see how fast
the patient declined. Decline over 1-2 months would point to-
wards a tumor, decline over a few weeks would suggest an in-
fection, and decline over a week would suggest a vascular proc-
ess.

The patient's home was also analyzed for environmental expo-

sures. It was discovered that the patient's dog likely has fleas.
Ham and eggs were discovered in the refrigerator. In terms of
the patient's progress, she was unable to stand up at this point.
Because ham is derived from pigs, a diagnosis of
neurocystercosis was considered.
The patient refused further treatment, and so an x-ray of her
leg was performed to visualize worm larvae. A single lesion in
the muscle was demonstrated, which confirmed the diagnosis.
The patient was started on albendazole 400 mg bid x 4 weeks.
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There was a rapid improvement and she was discharged.

Thus we see that the differential diagnoses given were

Creutzfeldt-Jacobs disease, Aneurysm, stroke, ischemic dis-
ease, Wernicke's encephalopathy, psittacosis, Cerebral vascu-
litis, and finally neurocysticercosis.

During the course of the patient’s evaluation, an MRI (the

besttest for diagnosis of neurocystercercosis) couldn't be per

formed because of the patient's allergy to gadolinium contrast

(which happens in 0.01% of patients). At one point when they
decision was made that x-ray should be used to diagnose the
disease, it was decided that it must be muscle that is x-rayed
because the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) has the same consistency
as the cysticercosis (implying that this is the reason it wasn't
seen on the CT scan of the head).

Hence in this case a thorough investigation, probing into the

history and using common sense earlier instead of all sophisti-
cated equipment would have reduced the burden of the disease
considerably for the patient●

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 THINK TANK
Here are a few questions to set your grey cells on fire!

1.) Ventilation-perfusion scan is a screening test for?

2.)What is the eponym for ink-blot picture test?

3.)The disorder in which the brain lacks gyri (convolutions) is

called what?

4.)An Egyptian papyrus dating to about 2000 BC gives the in-

gredients: honey, soda, and crocodile dung. These are the ear-
liest known ingredients for preparing __________?

SMS to 9444969384 with your name and college OR mail

us at [email protected]. Hurry up!

3 lucky winners will receive gifts along with discount vouch-

ers for PG entrance training sponsored by SPEED MEDICAL
CENTRE.

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 WILL U FAVOUR THE TECHNOLOGY TO
CHOOSE YOUR CHILD’S GENDER ??

SMS YES/NO TO 9444969384 ALONG WITH YOUR

NAME AND COLLEGE.

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An elderly man has just moved to a new town, when he is taken ill and
decides that he needs to see a doctor.

In the doctor's waiting room, he tries to find out a bit about the doctor.
He asks the man sitting next to him if the doctor is a specialist.

The man replies that the doctor specializes in 'everything'.

The man thinks about this and looks nervous. He asks the man if the
doctor's fees are expensive.

The man says: "Well, he is and he isn't. You see, he charges you one
thousand dollars for your first visit."

The man looks even more worried now and exclaims in amazement, "A
thousand dollars?"

The man replies, "Yes, but all your visits after that for the rest of your life
are free!"

The man thinks about this, and then gets called by the nurse to go in to
see the doctor.

On entering the doctor's office he says casually . . .

. . . "Hello doctor, here I am again!"

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