Your cell phone is your ( doctor's) best friend.

Microscopy provides a simple, cost-effective, and vital method for the diagnosis and screening of hematologic and infectious diseases.It is an essential tool in disease diagnosis and widely used all over the world. Unfortunately, the EXPERTISE required to use the tool, and to evaluate the findings is not very common. One requires a pathologist with many years of experience to make sense of those seemingly random and confused pixels. (I know, i am a pathologist :-)

It takes a lot of effort, and money to train a pathologist, equip him/her with all the instruments required, and then use the skills in a backward area without proper facilities. But the advent of digital imaging has solved many of our troubles. Telepathology made sure that we do not need a pathologist physically present at the site, to render a diagnosis.

But microscopy and digital imaging of the biopsy/tissue fragment was still a hassle. Now we have done better. You don't even need a microscope to send a microscopic image over the network!! Researchers from the Univ. of California worked with high-powered LED – which retails for just a few dollars – coupled with a typical camera phone to produce a clinical quality image sufficient for detecting in a field setting some of the most common diseases in the developing world.

The newly developed technology, CellScope, allows for average cell cameras to be retrofitted with powerful microscopes, able to detect malaria parasites, and even fluorescent marker-stained tuberculosis bacteria.
Thus you have your humble cell-phone transformed into the sherlockian "cell-scope".

“The images can either be analyzed on site or wirelessly transmitted to clinical centers for remote diagnosis. The system could be used to help provide early warning of outbreaks by shortening the time needed to screen, diagnose and treat infectious diseases,” University of California in San Francisco (UCSF)/UCB Bioengineering Graduate Group graduate student David Breslauer adds. CellScope could also provide remote access to digitized health records, and would be amenable to epidemiological studies, using triangulation or global positioning system location data, such that outbreaks could be monitored as they happen.



So maybe i could click a photomicrograph of that mole on my friend"s forearm, twitter it to my onco-pathologist friends, who view it on their smartphones and twitter / message their diagnosis back to me. Simple and fast, especially with my own group of pathologists on the network.

Use your cell phone to diagnose diseases.

Microscopy provides a simple, cost-effective, and vital method for the diagnosis and screening of hematologic and infectious diseases.It is an essential tool in disease diagnosis and widely used all over the world. Unfortunately, the EXPERTISE required to use the tool, and to evaluate the findings is not very common. One requires a pathologist with many years of experience to make sense of those seemingly random and confused pixels. (I know, i am a pathologist :-)

It takes a lot of effort, and money to train a pathologist, equip him/her with all the instruments required, and then use the skills in a backward area without proper facilities. But the advent of digital imaging has solved many of our troubles. Telepathology made sure that we do not need a pathologist physically present at the site, to render a diagnosis.

But microscopy and digital imaging of the biopsy/tissue fragment was still a hassle. Now we have done better. You don't even need a microscope to send a microscopic image over the network!! Researchers from the Univ. of California worked with high-powered LED – which retails for just a few dollars – coupled with a typical camera phone to produce a clinical quality image sufficient for detecting in a field setting some of the most common diseases in the developing world.



The newly developed technology, CellScope, allows for average cell cameras to be retrofitted with powerful microscopes, able to detect malaria parasites, and even fluorescent marker-stained tuberculosis bacteria.
Thus you have your humble cell-phone transformed into the sherlockian "cell-scope".

“The images can either be analyzed on site or wirelessly transmitted to clinical centers for remote diagnosis. The system could be used to help provide early warning of outbreaks by shortening the time needed to screen, diagnose and treat infectious diseases,” University of California in San Francisco (UCSF)/UCB Bioengineering Graduate Group graduate student David Breslauer adds. CellScope could also provide remote access to digitized health records, and would be amenable to epidemiological studies, using triangulation or global positioning system location data, such that outbreaks could be monitored as they happen.

So maybe i could click a photomicrograph of that mole on my friend"s forearm, twitter it to my onco-pathologist friends, who view it on their smartphones and twitter / message their diagnosis back to me. Simple and fast, especially with my own group of pathologists on the network.

Scientic animations awards ceremony, China

Image via Wikipedia

The 1st Annual International Science Animation Awards being held August 8th 2009 in Guiyang China

Deadline for DVD submissions -

July 15th 2009

Guiyang, China (PRWEB) -- Honoring the works of visual wonder that depict what science perceives beyond our eyes, The 1st Annual International Science Animation Awards (ISAA) are being presented in Guiyang, China August 8th 2009.

The ISAA "Sci-An" will be awarded for 2D and 3D works that demonstrate both the highest achievements in scientific and medical communication and superb attention to aesthetic, creative and technical presentation.

This is an industry that will grow exponentially with the compounding demands from various science sectors in the years ahead

This year marks the first in what will be an annual juried salon, bringing together in China the work of scientific animators from around the world. Professional and student work is welcome, and will be judged separately.

The event will include presentations and panels with industry leaders from across Asia, the United States and Europe.

The two judging categories are commercial and educational, in short form of under three minutes' run time. Long form work and compilations from longer projects may be entered and will be evaluated separately.

"The need for recognition in this dynamic emerging field has grown to the point of launching this inaugural event" said founding co-chairman, Sander Johnson, who with founding co-chair, David Bolinsky initiated the concept for this international forum at last year's Guiyang Animation Festival, in Guiyang, China. That festival is the launch for this year's Sci-An Awards, which will next year become an independent event.

"Hosting this unique forum and awards ceremony in China truly invites pan-Asian and East-West interaction with leaders in the industries and major universities" said Bolinsky, a leading American creator of 3D scientific animation for Harvard University Medical, the Smithsonian, most major pharmaceutical companies, NOVA and additional broadcast clients. "And it promotes further advances in these various industries of science and animation".

ISAA General Secretary, Liuyi Wang, founding Director of China's Asian Youth Animation & Comics Contest sees great benefit in highlighting achievements in these advanced new fields of science animation as 21st Century career paths for talented young computer animators. "This is an industry that will grow exponentially with the compounding demands from various science sectors in the years ahead" said Wang.

ISAA "Sci-An" Awards will be given to first, second and third place, plus awards of merit and best in show. The judges this year will include David Bolinsky, XVIVO Scientific Animation Partner; Jane Hurd, Hurd Studios Founder; and Elizabeth Rega, chief anatomical consultant Walt Disney Feature Animation and SONY Pictures Imageworks, with prominent Asia judges to be announced soon.

Deadline for submission is July 15th 2009 and entries cannot be returned.

In welcoming all applications; there are no entry fees required with submissions.

Applications can be downloaded from www.ayacc.org/Sci-Ansubmissionform

Physiology of Propofol drug abuse

Is Propofol, or Diprivan what Michael Jackson Used for ( Drug) Abuse ?

According to Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who operates a Los Angeles-based nutritional counseling business, in California, “Jackson was complaining of insomnia and pleaded for her to get him some (Diprivan)". Other reports claim Propofol was recovered from his residence. This conversation reportedly occurred in April of this year. Preliminary reports say that M.J died of cardiac arrest, which is within the possible effects of unmonitored Diprivan use. (A rapid bolus injection can result in undesirable cardiorespiratory depression including hypotension, apnea, airway obstruction, and oxygen desaturation.)

Diprivan is a general anesthetic, used to start or maintain anesthesia during certain surgeries, tests, or procedures. It is available in a white vial of 20, 50 and 100 ml (containing 10mg/ml.).Most adults require 2 to 2.5 mg/kg of the drug ( approx. 10 ml). DIPRIVAN Injectable Emulsion is an IV sedative-hypnotic agent and can cause potentiation of other narcotic drugs and benzodiazepines when used together. The most common side-effects include Change in mood or emotions; dizziness; drowsiness; lack of coordination. It is given intravenously, usually within the operation theater or in a clinic. It has a rapid onset of action ( less than 1 min) and short duration of action (approximately 10 min but is dose dependent).It has direct cardiodepressant effects, leading to decreased blood pressure and heart rate in higher doses. Its actions causing decreased heart rate and respiratory rate mean that use of propofol is done only under continuous monitoring of vital signs.Diprivan is not meant for use in pediatrics and elderly population since its safety has not been established in these populations. Prolonged use of propofol results in accumulation of the drug in body tissue and increases the duration of action as well as chances of overdose.

Rarely, Cases of death due to propofol have been discussed in medical literature. All these cases have occured in hospital settings only.It is definitely not meant for home use and this is the first time I have heard of Diprivan being used as a drug of abuse outside hospital settings.

Euphoria, sexual hallucinations and disinhibition have been described on recovery of propofol anaesthesia. These effects could explain the recreational use of the drug. Moreover, several experimental studies strongly suggest the potential for abuse and dependence on propofol,and few cases of abuse and dependency have been described, mostly in medical professionals. As propofol is generally not recognized as a substance of abuse, and because of its safe profile, it is important to remember that rare adverse reactions of propofol could produce death in a context of abuse, even at therapeutic dose range, in the absence of ventilatory and medical assistance.

British Journal of Anaesthesia 2006 97(2):268; doi:10.1093/bja/ael168

Catching Health consumer"s attention online

A large number of people are increasing turning to the internet for their information needs. But when it comes to online activity, everyone has a short attention span. Garnering potential audiences for medical content websites, and then retaining them is a big challenge. How do websites and other applications draw and hold consumers for long-form media like podcasts and video-downloads?


 As per Alexa ranking for two years, WebMD beats all other competition hands down, followed by everydayhealth.com. All others fare way behind these leaders in daily reach.



The important issues identified for such patient or consumer centric multimedia medical websites are,

---high.quality.content
--- Accuracy
---Individualization tools
--- Good medical imagery
---short 2 minute animation /user experience videos.

Below are quotes by a few top online medical/patient education resources.

Nan Forte EVP, consumer services, WebMD - (The WebMD )content staff blends award-winning expertise in medicine, journalism, health communication and content creation to bring you the best health information possible. Our esteemed colleagues at MedicineNet.com are frequent contributors to WebMD and comprise our Medical Editorial Board. Our Independent Medical Review Board continuously reviews the site for accuracy and timeliness. # Health news for the public,Creating and maintaining up-to-date medical reference content databases,Medical imagery, graphics, and animation, Communities, Live web events, User experience, Interactive tools

More consumers visit WebMD than any other health site in search of health information. Our editorial and programming teams work closely with our product and technology groups to create the appropriate balance of compelling content together with an engaging user experience. The high level of user engagement on WebMD can be attributed to the high degree of personalization combined with the mix of sight, sound and motion across our network. For example, video is presented as part of the integrated user experience. In the past year alone, we've seen an increase in the way consumers are interacting with long-form media. We credit our programming expertise and the fact that many of our visitors are engaged information-seekers who will take time to engage in relevant programming.

Michelle Johnson Manager, pharmaceutical public affairs, Abbott -(The podcast series shares insights and tips from health professionals regarding diet and nutrition, the emotional impact of the disease and its effect on relationships. Each Crohn’s Cast also includes a first-hand account from a person living with Crohn’s disease.)

Abbott's decision to create its “Crohn's Casts: Speaking from the Gut” series was about addressing the needs of patients by combining the right online tools with relevant topics. Each of the podcasts is under five minutes and shares insights from health professionals regarding diet and nutrition, the emotional impact of the disease and its effect on relationships, and accounts from people living with or impacted by Crohn's disease. CrohnsOnline.com is a site dedicated to people with Crohn's disease, a gastrointestinal disease that often strikes between ages 15-35. Since 50% of people with chronic diseases go online to find healthcare information, a podcast was a simple, creative vehicle for this young and web-savvy group.

David Best, President, The Doctor's Channel- (site includes short one- to two-minute streaming video clips designed to get to the point, with insights and opinions from experts in 35 different specialties, as well as community and lifestyle features that help doctors stay on top of the latest news, ideas and information.)

Ihave found that the best way to draw and hold consumers is to sell them on the idea of shorter content that is packed with more information. The world is media snacking, getting their information in bite-sized bursts. Here at The Doctor's Channel, we have decided that our best chance to grab the attention of the medical community is not to fight the urge for media snacking, but rather to embrace it. We offer the same content you would find in an 8-minute video, but we provide it in four segments, each 2 minutes long. More often than not, people end up watching all four segments anyway. So consumers end up viewing 8 minutes of content, but because it is presented to them in smaller doses, they are more engaged. But remember, no matter what the “dose,” interesting content is paramount!

Marjorie Martin SVP & general manager, Everyday Health Network - (..help you manage your own and your family's conditions and overall well-being through personalized advice, tools, and communities)

Online health users have a reputation for being impatient; however, it may be because they're not finding what they need. Internet users are generally in search of answers to specific questions as opposed to casual browsing. When they find relevant content they stick with it. Audio and video perform best online when they're specific to a condition and use the visuals and audio to provide important information. For instance, someone in search of content on weight loss surgery is more likely to view animation of the procedure and an interview with a former patient (including visuals of the scar) than watch video of two doctors sitting in a studio talking about it.

Based on a December ,2008 article in MMM-Online.com

Related article

Medical Animation- How is it Used ? (medical-communication.blogspot.com)