One of my favorite things to do on a Monday is surf the Internet to see what wonderful new health discoveries are being made and what trends are hot right now. Because while anyone can try to find a cure for cancer, there are plenty of other scientific niches that need to be filled.
Here are a couple quick samples of news items that grabbed my attention on today’s spin ’round the World Wide Web.
Goodbye Toupee, Hello Baldness Drugs: According to a Reuters story out of London, researchers have found a gene the causes hair loss. The discovery may lead to new drugs that could cure baldness. Granted, the discovery is aimed at a rare hereditary condition and not necessarily your regular male-pattern baldness, but it’s a first step toward putting that rug away.
Give These People a Hand: For people who feel their hands aren’t exactly as pretty as they should be, new cosmetic procedures are available to provide them with a “hand lift.” That can include treatments to get rid of age spots, bony hands and other maladies that occur as we get older. According to an MSNBC.com story, new techniques to beautify old hands have created a market for cosmetic procedures. Surely retired hand models out there are giving them a thumbs up.
Dialing Up Infertility: If you’re a guy and you’re thinking about having kids, perhaps you shouldn’t answer that cell phone next time it rings. A new study, which you can read about in USA Today, suggests that cell phones could cause lower sperm count, as well as, and I quote, “more poor ‘swimmers’ and abnormally formed sperm.” The study authors are quick to point out that the data are “quite preliminary” but if you’re thinking about procreating soon, perhaps you should just use a land line.
There’s more, much more. Some of it is actually valuable information, some of it not so much. It does make you wonder why there are clinical trials on genetic hair loss when there seem to be much more important health issues that the money could be used for.
Still, I’m waiting for some intrepid scientist to discover the magic pill that gives me six-pack abs and Tiger Woods’ golf swing. Now that would be a medical miracle.
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
2 comments:
Scott, just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed reading these blogs & listening to the archive of all the pod casts this week.
My old "Frankenstein" of a computer would have never supported any of these files. But now that I have my brand new computer set up (courtesy of an IRS tax refund), I am discovering the wonderful new world of MMHS via the web.
Just wanted to let you know how much it is appreciated. And that I plan to share it with anyone willing to listen: my local colleagues, my friends & my family, both near & far.
Thanks for all you do!!
Thanks, nurse jane. But our part here's pretty easy thanks to all the Martin Memorial doctors, nurses, clinical staff and other healthcare experts who've worked with us to get this information out there.
Thanks for reading and listening -- and keep your eyes out for more Martin Memorial multimedia coming soon!
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