Johns Hopkins Experiments With Robots For Infection Control

Robots Fight Superbugs In Hospitals by Christina Ortiz.  Discovery News.  January 3, 2012.

Johns Hopkins Hospital is experimenting with two robots in its infection control efforts to prevent the rise of superbugs.  One robot sprays a light bleaching agent into a sealed room.  A thin layer of hydrogen peroxide coats all the surfaces of the room.  The second robot breaks down the bleaching agent into its water and oxygen components, making it non-toxic.  The hospital has bought two pairs of robots after positive test results.

Hillary Clinton's Blood Clot No Barrier to Future Possibilities

Clinton's Future 'As Good As Her Past,' Docs Say  by Jacque Wilson, CNN.  January 3, 2013.

The article contains relevant medical information about the Secretary of State beyond a good long0-term prognosis:    (1)  Cerebral vein thrombosis are rare affecting 1 in every 100,000 people.  (2)  A person who has had a blood clot in the past will have a higher risk of getting one again.  (3)  For some individuals there is a genetic predisposition for clots though it is not know if this is the case with the Secretary,  (4)  A 2007 study found that the more a person travels the higher the risk of clots.  The article contains a link about other key facts about blood clots.

4.2 Percent of Drivers Sleeping Behind the Wheel: CDC Study

4.2 Percent of Drivers Admit to Sleeping Behind The Wheel In Past Month, CDC Study Finds by Michelle Castillo. CBS News.  January 1, 2013.

2.5% of fatal crashes and 2.0% of nonfatal crashes involved drowsy driving according the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  though officials admit that the figures could be as high as 15 to 33 percent due to data collection difficulties.  The CDC estimates that 41 million workers don't get enough sleep.

EMR Which Do Not Include Psychiatric Medical Records May Adversely Impact Treatment

'Protecting'  Psychiatric Medical Records Puts Patients at Risk of Hospitalization.  Science Daily.  January 2, 2012.

Among the striking points brought out in this Johns Hopkins study of the psychiatry department of 18 top hospitals is this:  Patients from hospitals which did not provide full access to psychiatric records in the electronic medical records (EMR) were 40 percent less likely to be admitted in the first month after hospital discharge.  The stigma associated mental illness and the desire to protect the patient may result in care and treatment issues.  

Managing Two Diseases at Once: Cancer and Diabetes

Juggling Diabetes And Cancer by Anahad O'Connor.  Well Blog.  The New York Times.  December 31 2012.

According to some estimates, as many as one in five cancer patients also has diabetes.  The article explores the shared biological links, cancer treatment impacts on diabetes including chemotherapy impacts on blood sugar levels for example as well as establishing priorities in treatment.  Also addressed briefly is diabetes treatment's impact on cancer.

Study: H.I.V.-Positive Smokers Lose More Years to Tobacco Than to The Virus

Mortality:  H.I.V.-Positive Smokers Lose More Years to Tobacco Than To the Virus, A Study Says by Donald G. McNeil.  The New York Times.  December 31, 2012.

The Danish study found that a 35-year-old H.I.V nonsmoking patient was likely to live to 78.  A 35-year-old H.I.V smoking patient likely to live to 63.  Both smokers and non-smokers were treated under the Danish universal health care system.

Obesity Mortality Risk Concentrated In Most Severe Cases According to Study

Study Suggests Lower Mortality Risk For People Deemed to Be Overweight by Pam Belluck.  The New York Times.  January 1, 2012.

This report suggests that, in the aggregate,  the risk of obesity is concentrated in the highest obesity levels, that an otherwise healthy person who is overweight is at less risk and is not more likely to die than normal-weight people.  The article points to indicators of poor health (cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar) that in combination with overweight point to need to lose weight.  Location of the pounds could be important with fat inside the belly worse than say fat on the thighs.  An expert interviewed suggested that, in the light of this and other studies, the body mass index (BMI) is not a complete measure of health.