Carbohydrates

Today's Medical Topic:  Carbohydrates AKA carbs.

Off the Top of My Head:  Any dieter will tell you that carbs are the devil but that simply isn't true.  Carbohydrates are your body's most easily accessible form of energy and carbs exist in different forms and quantities throughout your body and not all of them make you fat.  Let's look at the basic carbs we use.

100% Carbs right there.

My Research Today:  Used as structural material and energy sources by your body carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.  Here is your big word for the day:  Saccharides which is another word for carbohydrates.  Saccharides come in three basic categories which are boring as hell but let's do this anyways.

• Monosaccharides consist of single carb molecules.  The most basic and prevalent of these in your body is glucose. There are other monosaccharides too but I don't wanna talk about them.
• Disaccharides consist of two of the monosaccharides covalently bonded to each other.  Sucrose for example is table sugar and is one glucose molecule bonded with a fructose molecule.
• Finally polysaccharides, also known as "complex carbs" in the dieting world are innumerable monosaccharides bonded together. Starches and cellulose are among polysaccharides.  Glycogen  is a complex of thousands of glucose molecules that is stored in our skeletal muscles and liver for immediate energy release.

Damn carbon is responsible for damn near everything. Look at it there with 4 electrons in it's outer shell like a bitch.

So carbs do all kinds of things for us including making some of us sick.  Lactose is a carb found in milk and is a disaccharide of glucose and galactose.  People who are lactose intolerant have difficulty processing galactose which is why they get the stomach pain and the mud butt.

Now that's the kind of mud butt I'm talking about!

So as you can see, it isn't that carbs are bad it is just the kind of carbs and the quantity that we consume that can be bad.  Too much simple carbs turn into fat.  Everything in moderation.  Holy crap this is boring.  I need to start studying something else.  Have a good night everyone.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today: Nothing
Diet today:  My gum is still killing me, I really can't eat much.


The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh.
Social Engineering Tactics:  Nothing

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.

Streptococcus

Today's Medical Topic:  Streptococcus.  It's a bacteria.

Off the Top of My Head:  One of the most ubiquitous bacteria in the world, there are several kinds of strep.  Strep causes skin infections and strep throat as well as a whole slew of additional maladies.  It can be a nasty little invader.  You are probably covered with it right now.  More so if you have been to or work in a hospital or doctor's office.

If that was pearls they'd be pretty shitty quality ones.

My Research Today:  For the simplicity of this article we are talking about Group A Streptococcus or Streptococcus pyogenes.  Strep A infections can be mild to deadly with the majority existing somewhere in between.

We have all heard of Strep Troat which is a Streptococcus infection causing inflamation and discomfort to your oropharynx.  Many doctors will tell you that Strep has a distinctive smell in throat infections this is due to the bacteria's metabolic waste as it propagates.  It has a stagnant, musty smell similar to Liz Taylor in the 1990's.  In the US Strep Throat is always treated with antibiotics, penicillin typically being the most effective.

You mean like stale cigarettes and ketones?

The reason Strep Throat is always treated is that there is a possibility, although extremely rare, (1 to 2% of total cases) of the bacteria progressing to rheumatic fever which can cause permanent damage to your heart or death.

A common skin infection caused by Strep is inpetigo.  Impetigo is a painful reddish rash with blisters of pus.  It is commonly treated with oral and topical antibiotics or by listening to Justin Bieber which makes the bacteria kill themselves.

Almost better than pus-filled blisters.

More seriously Strep A can cause necrotizing fasciitis which we have talked about before (July 3, 2012).  Also there is toxic shock syndrome which is an overwhelming blood infection and very deadly.  Both illnesses are uncommon in healthy individuals are mostly are a concern for the elderly or immuno-compromised.

Well, I am done with this topic for now.  If anyone would like me to discuss it in mor edetail then just drop me a line.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today: Nothing
Diet today:  My gum is still killing me, I really can't eat much.


The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh.
Social Engineering Tactics:  Nothing

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.

Tongues!

Today's Medical Topic:  What does the tongue do?  Besides taste delicious things I mean.

Off the Top of My Head:  The tongue is involved in mastication (that is chewing) as well as speech and taste.  Beyond that I am not entirely sure what it does.  But that is a lot of things for just one muscle.

Let's get technical.

My Research Today:  The tongue is a muscular hydrostat.  What is a muscular hydrostat?  A muscular hydrostat is a biological structure composed of muscles with no skeletal structures that assists or manipulates food or other sundry items.  Some animals move with their tongue but not humans. Except maybe for the Black Knight in Monty Python.

Come back here and I'll bite you to death

Your tongue is covered with mucosa and the tiny bumps on it are called papillae.  Cat's tongues papillae are super pronounced and rough like sand paper.  Human tongues have a texture but are not as aggressive.  Your taste buds connect to to nerves that run into the brain and give you the sense of taste.

Everyone knows the four major tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.  Four things that humans taste on a evolutionary scale.  Sweet equals the carbs we need to move and salt equals the sodium we need for every cell interaction in our body.  Sour and bitter help us to distinguish between things we may not want to eat.

There is a fifth taste, however.  Umami is the fifth basic taste our tongues can detect.  This taste detects glutamates and nucleotides and is described as a "brothy" or "meaty" taste.  This fifth taste does not seem super useful until you understand that the evolutionary aspect of the umami taste is for breast milk.

Hell yes boobs!  We are genetically inclined to love them.

All parts of your tongue can discern all five tastes so "maps" of your tongue are bullshit.  It is an amazing organ in and of itself but who knew it lent so much to our development?

Well, I hope you enjoyed this article.  Have a good night.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today: 2 mile walk, I couldn't muster more.
Diet today:  My gum is killing me, I really can't eat much.


The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh.
Social Engineering Tactics:  Nothing

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.

Capsaicin

Today's Medical Topic:  My friend Jon has asked the question: "Why does it burn so bad when I rub hot sauce in my eyes?"  Well, first off , Jon, don't do that.  Second of all I think I can answer your question.

Off the Top of My Head:  Most people know that the spicy irritant in hot peppers, specifically chilis is capsaicin.  It irritates mucus membranes in your mouth and throat giving food the spicy taste you associate with hot peppers.  Hot peppers and sauces are measured in Scoville units which is a scale based on the amount of capsaicin in a pepper.

Capsaicin molecule.  It's all bumpy.

My Research Today:  Capsaicin is the oily active irritant in plants belonging to the genus Capsicum.  Chili peppers are a member of this genus.  Capsaicin is produced as a metabolite in the course of the plant's development and deposits in the "veins" or whitish inside parts of the pepper technically called the pith.  Most likely the plants developed the substance as a deterrent from certain kinds of herbivores and possibly to prevent fungal infections.

All those look like a bad idea.

The capsaicin molecule acts directly on sensory neurons in mucus membranes by binding to viailloid recpetors.  This creates the same sort of neuron signal to your brain that heat does which is why capsaicin feels like it is burning you.  I can get into specific chemical details if you want but I don't think it is important to understand that for this article.

IT BURNS!

Capsaicin does not actually burn you or do direct damage to tissue.  Swelling associated with the chemical is thought to be caused by your body's reaction to the nerve stimulation which can cause inflammation.  This inflammation, however, can lead to tissue damage.

Capsaicin is also used as a topical pain reliever for muscle pain and it the main ingredient in pepper spray where it is called oleoresin capsaicin.  Oleoresin capsaicin is an oil extracted from chili peppers.  Pure capsaicin is irritating as hell especially to lung tissue, eyes, and your throat causing redness, tearing, and extreme pain.

Dick move, bro.  Dick move.

Typically, since capsaicin is oily you don't really want to use water to get it off because it just spreads the oil around.  To counteract eating something spicy try eating bread to soak up the oil or drinking milk.  The fat in the milk will bind to the oil and carry it away.  For skin exposure you can actually rub your skin with vegetable oil and wipe it off with a towel.  Unfortunately for your eyes, water is still the best solution.

Currently the hottest pepper in the world is the Naga Jolokia or the Ghost Chili.  IT is rated at over one million Scoville units.  The secret to the Naga Jolokia is that capsaicin deposits throughout the pepper instead of just in the pith.

It burns coming and going.

Well, I hope I answered your question, Jon, and I hope you stop rubbing hot sauce in your eyes.  Have a good night and if anyone else has a topic suggestion please send it my way.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today:  I am just not feeling it today.
Diet today:  My gum is killing me, I really can't eat much.


The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh.
Social Engineering Tactics:  Nothing

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.

PAPP-A

Today's Medical Topic:  Reader Cathy wants to know what PAPP-A is or Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A.  I'll take a stab at it but I can't promise anything.

Off the Top of My Head:  I know exactly dick about this. I have never even heard of it before. Preliminary research makes it look like a realtively complicated subject. It is a new test and it's actual impact on estimating defects seem poorly understood currently but do have some interesting statistical correlations.

My Research Today:  Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A is a blood serum test level performed at multiple times during a pregnancy.  Like a quantitative HCG level, PAPP-A levels should gradually rise during the course of the pregnancy.

The overall history of the PAPP-A testing is difficult for me to find but it appears it has only been available for the last 20 years and was not commonly tested in mothers under 35 years old until 2007 when it was recommended for general screening by the American College of Obstetricians.

That is the protein structure.

The protein is produced by the covering of the newly fertilized egg.  Low levels of PAPP-A are associated with an increase in different kinds of trisomy or Down's Syndrome.  The testing is approximately 80% predictive of Down's syndrome depending on levels of the protein and in conjunction with other standard serum screening tests.  Serum testing in general has a 5 to 8% false positive result and a 35 to 40% false negative result.

The average normals of these blood tests is called the "population median" and are typically reported to doctors as "Multiples of the Median" or MoM for short.  The average normal value is 1.0 which is a total calculated by a software program.  These values are also compared to ultrasound study markers for Down's Syndrome.

This is a PAPP-A compared to other proteins.  I don't know what it means
either. It is probably why you need a computer.

All serum and ultrasound testing for Down's syndrome is predictive and not diagnostic.  As Down's Syndrome is a form of trisomy or chromosomal abnormality, actual chromosomal testing must be completed on the fetus for a diagnosis.  Amniocentesis chromosomal testing on fetal cells will definitively diagnose Down's Syndrome.

I am afraid I cannot explore this topic much further this evening as the rest of it seems to currently be beyond the realm of my understanding.  Have a good night.  Sorry the subject wasn't overly humorous tonight.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today:  Was out-of-town most of the day.  I need to do more cardio.
Diet today:  I had my gum partially resected a couple days ago and I am having trouble eating stuff.  It sucks.

Comments: Will try to get into the pool and burn some calories that way.  Also do some upper body and core exercises.

The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh.
Social Engineering Tactics:  Mind reading.
Comments:  I can read your mind!  Not really.

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.

Pufferfish

Today's Medical Topic:  Reader Freddy wants to know about Japanese Pufferfish, more specifically the infamous delicacy Fugu.  Thin slices of this fish have been served for centuries in Japan and even today this potentially deadly dish kills a few people every year.  But why and how does it kill you?  Let's find out.

He's a pointy sumbitch, ain't he?

Off the Top of My Head:  I know that the pufferfish contains a potent neurotoxin.  In Japan the chefs whom are allowed to prepare fugu are strictly controlled by law.  The preparation is also highly regulated in other countries as well.  I have heard there are only two places in the US that are allowed to prepare fugu although I don't know if this is true.

Slices so thin you can see through em'.

My Research Today:  The pufferfish is technically a member of the Tetraodontidae family which include over 120 species of puffers.  The pufferfish is the second-most toxic vertebrate in the world.  The first?  The golden poison frog.

The pufferfish contains the poison tetrodotoxin which is a sodium channel blocker.  I have discussed a similar toxin in the past.  This poison disrupts sodium channels in your cells by binding to and occluding the extracellular pore of the channels.  I could get more complicated but I don't want to.

Holy crap that looks complicated.

Long story short, this blockage of your sodium channels leads to paralysis of your muscles.  So much so that you stop breathing but are still conscious to witness the horror of not being able to breathe.  I am sure it sucks.  If you get to a hospital in time they can breathe for you long enough for your body to metabolize the rest of the poison.  The human body is amazing; the perfect machine.

Tetrodotoxin is more concentrated in the liver and skin of the pufferfish.  Experienced chefs train for a minimum of two years to learn how to prepare the pufferfish, carefully removing organs and must eat the fish they prepare.  Some people will dare God in eating thin slices of liver in order to get a buzz but hopefully won't die.  Word on the street is that a slice of pufferfish with just the right amount of poison gets you all tingly without killing you.

Tertodotoxin.  Damn carbon molecules.

Oddly enough, tetrodotoxin is not produced by the fish but by a bacteria that colonizes the fish the same way that humans have bacteria in their intestines.  It is possible to breed a pufferfish devoid of the toxin in a more sterile environment.  But what would be the fun in that?

Anyways, I hoped I answered your question, Freddy.  Remember, if you have a question please drop me a line at dudaday@gmail.com.  I would be happy to take a stab at anything you are interested in.

Dermoid Cysts (Teratomas)

Medical Topic of the Day:  To celebrate over 1000 hits on my blog we are going to talk about something truly disgusting.  My friend Aubrey has suggested the topic of dermoid cysts and promises you will barf.  So if you don't barf it is her fault.  Enjoy

Off The Top of My Head:  Besides being on ovaries I don't know much about them.  I am sure they are painful like most ovarian cysts are.  I don't have ovaries myself so it is difficult for me to equate the pain.  I dunno, let's see what they are and why they are gross.

My Research Today:  Also called a benign cystic teratoma, a dermoid cyst is a type of usually non-malignant cyst.  Teratomas themselves are horrifying because they contain a number of different cells and hence may develop into many different things.  Technically teratomas or dermoids can appear in other places but ovarian teratomas are more common.

Teratomas are chunks of tissue with one of more kinds of tissue encapsulated inside it.  The tissue or fluid inside it can contain all kinds of things that are not supposed to be there.  Inside a teratoma you could find any of the following:

• Hair
• Blood
• Skin
• Teeth
• An eyeball or part of an eyeball
• A foot
• A torso

Although teratomas that contain organs or organ systems are rare it is possible since any tissue in your body can appear in a teratoma.  In Latin teratoma means "the earth takes" which is creepy but even more creepy if your ovary has an eyeball.  But don't worry, you can always have it surgically extracted.

Since teratomas are mature cells they are rarely malignant although types of cancerous teratomas are possible.  Some people can live all their lives not knowing they have a teratoma unless it starts to cause them discomfort.  But I know what you are thinking.  I want to see one.  Okay.  Just remember, you can't unsee this shit.

LAST CHANCE TO TURN BACK!

PROBABLY NOT SAFE FOR YOUR SANITY BELOW THIS LINE

This one contains mostly hair.

This one contains keratin the building block for hair, but no hair.

A tooth!  Looks like an incisor.

TEETH!  That other one must have been from Kentucky.

GOOD GOD, MAN!  What Lovecraftian abomination is this?

That is horrifying.  I have to admit it is kinda cool.  There are some freakish ones on Google image search if you haven't had enough.  I looked though 11 pages of them so you didn't have to.  You'll see a lot of them on kids eyes or faces so be forewarned if you decide to go looking.  Some people are born with them.

Quest To 180:
Meh.

The MAN:
Meh.