Eyespy: September 2005
The “Fungal Tree of Life” has been growing
steadily for two years, and recently received a boost from two new computer
programs. One program validates and assembles new fungal DNA data, while
the other gathers known sequences from public archives. Numerous fungal
family trees exist independently of one another, sometimes overlapping or
conflicting. With the aid of these new computer programs, data can be
integrated from old and new sources, and its validity can be tested against
existing sequences. One 588 species fungal tree is now published, but
researchers hope to have 1500 species tied together by 2006 (Science 2005;309:374).
Eyespy remembers with a smile the movie Airplane! and
Leslie Nielsen’s turn as a doctor on the unfortunate flight. By way
of an innovative course, Nielsen, among others, can have official training
for those “Is there a doctor here?” moments. Clinical
Considerations in Aero-medical Transport and Virgin Atlantic offer a one
day course entitled “Medical Emergencies in Flight.” The course
is designed for doctors who want to learn about diagnosis and management of
medical emergencies on aeroplanes. Sessions cover topics from oxygen
availability and altitude physiology to aeroplane medical equipment and
evacuation. The course, which has been running for six years, takes place
at London Gatwick Airport (www.ccat-training.org.uk/ccat.htm).
A reconstructive surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in the
United States is planning the first ever face transplant, if she can find a
willing subject. A series of operations will involve removing the face of a
cadaver—epidermis, adipose, nerves, and vasculature, but no
musculature—and transplanting it to the face of a permanently scarred
person. The operation could take more than 15 hours. The visionary behind
the procedure is Dr Maria Siemionow, director of plastic surgery research
at the clinic. “That you could restore to people a part of themselves
that had been lost, and actually see it become vital again, was miraculous
to me,” said Siemionow of an inspirational hand reattachment
operation that she observed in her residency. According to the New York
Times, since she proposed the idea several years ago, Siemionow has heard
numerous references to Face/Off, an action film starring John Travolta and
Nicholas Cage as enemies who have their faces surgically swapped
(www.nytimes.com).
Tired teenagers received a boost from a study claiming
that early school hours are detrimental. Researchers in Illinois studied 60
high school juniors and seniors at three points during the school year to
assess sleep-wake cycles and their relation to moods. Results showed that
teenagers lost as much as 120 minutes of sleep a night during the week, and
weekend sleep time was significantly longer to compensate. Students did
better in assessment tests in the afternoon and were less alert in morning
classes. The conclusion? “School schedules are forcing them to lose
sleep and to perform academically when they are at their worst” (Pediatrics 2005;115:1555-61).
Most men prefer cosmetic-free women, according to a new
poll by loopylove.com. The poll of 10000 single British men found that
most liked fresh faced women instead of those with more cosmetics. The poll
also found that 67% of men were more attracted to confident and powerful
women, 59% would be happy if women took the initiative to make the first
move, and 80% preferred a curvy female figure. Lorraine Adams, a
representative of the website, said, “Men say they do prefer women
who don’t wear make up, but do they really? Half of them would
probably run a mile if they actually saw a lot of women without their make
up” (www.dailymail.co.uk).
Smoking will be completely eradicated in Australia by
2030, says a study by the Curtin University in Western Australia.
Researchers said that women will quit by 2029 and men a year later. Over
the past 60 years, smoking rates in Australia have fallen from a high of
70% to 17.4% in 2004, according to the Australian Institute of Health. If
trends continue as they are, smokers will be snuffed out entirely in just
25 years. Smoking is banned in public places, including restaurants, in
Australia. Starting this month, pubs and clubs in New South Wales are
required to provide smoke-free areas. By July 2007, a nationwide smoking
ban will be instituted (www.guardian.co.uk).
He can urinate, breathe, blink, and even undergo a sex
change. Stan D Ardman is one of two computer controlled human patient
simulators in a pilot study at the University of Bristol. The dummies allow
medical students the opportunity to do treatments such as cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and catheterisation. The simulators can be programmed to
simulate a number of illnesses, from heart failure, to asthma, to
dehydration, and can be converted from male to female. A professor or
observer can speak to the student through a microphone in Stan’s
head. He will be available for student use in January (www.guardian.co.uk).
“Who has time to sleep?” asked Dr Lauren
Hale in a recent study in the Journal of Public
Health (2005;27:205-11). Married people had
the most normal sleeping behaviours, and unmarried people were more likely
to sleep for either too long or too little. Marriage provided something of
a “protective effect” on sleeping behaviours, said Hale. Higher
levels of education do the same.
The vegetarians have spoken. People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals announced Coldplay front man Chris Martin and American
Idol winner Carrie Underwood as their 2005 world’s sexiest
vegetarians. Thirteen thousand people voted online in the annual
competition. Among the celebrities up for election were Alec Baldwin, Joss
Stone, Natalie Portman, Natalie Imbruglia, Sadie Frost, Moby, and Prince.
Underwood won the US version of the united Kingdom’s Pop Idol earlier in 2005. Martin and
his wife Gwyneth Paltrow are well known for their enthusiastic
vegetarianism (www.peta.org).
Mammography screening appointments in Australia
increased by 40% in the two weeks of media flurry surrounding the
announcement that singer Kylie Minogue had breast cancer, according to an
article in the Medical Journal of Australia. In women aged 40-69 who had not previously been screened,
bookings rose by 101%. The seven days after her announcement saw a 20-fold
increase in media coverage of breast cancer (www.mja.com.au).
studentBMJ 2005;13:309-352 September ISSN 0966-6494
