I Googled and found a few scientific research papers.. Believe it or not? Up to u

Stress is a common phenomenon. Every individual  experiences it. There are many ways of combating stress. Stress is necessary for preparation against challenging situations and danger. It is necessary to have stress before a test so that we are prepared. For instance, stress actually motivates students to prepare for examination but excessive stress can lead to poor performance. This study evaluates the effect of a commercial essence of chicken (CEC) on the various parameters related to stress and cognition of human volunteers. CEC is produced by a hot-water extraction process from chicken meat under high  pressure condition. It contains concentrated amounts of proteins, amino acids and peptides such as carnosine compared to homemade traditional chicken soup. Due to the unique extraction process, it has been postulated that readily absorbed amino acids and bioactive peptides are present in CEC. In this experiment, we evaluated the effect of CEC in comparison with a placebo and carageenan on a group of stressed medical students before their examinations. Students were divided into three groups at random and given either CEC, placebo or a carageenan drink daily for two weeks. Before and after the two weeks, the students were given a series of tests to assess their mental and physical wellbeing as well as attention and memory. The tests were the general health questionnaire (GHQ), SF36, digit span, construction of figures, 3-min memory test, comprehension and mental arithmetic. The students who ingested essence of chicken fared significantly better than the other two groups of students. The ability of essence of chicken to control anxiety by distraction and promoting attention and memory is discussed.

For complete research paper: http://nutriweb.org.my/publications/mjn009_1/mjn9n1_art3.pdf

Folk wisdom suggests that chicken extract is useful for recovery from physical and mental fatigue. To explore this question, the physiological effect of Brand’s Essence of Chicken (BEC), a popular chicken extract used as a traditional remedy, was assessed during recovering from mental stress. We quantitated the blood levels of stress-related substances, and examined the task performance and subjects’ mood states during mental workloads. Subjects were 20, healthy male students who have never tasted BEC. They took two bottles of BEC or a placebo (70 ml/bottle) daily in the morning for 7 days. On the final experimental day, two mental workload tests were performed: (A) a mental arithmetic test (MAT; 1600 trials of two or three figure-addition or subtraction for 40 min). (B) a short-term memory test (SMT; 20 trials of memorizing 9 digit numbers). Blood was collected before and after each workload task. After the mental workload, the recovery of mean cortisol level of subjects who consumed BEC was significantly faster than that for those consuming the placebo. The task performance of subjects performing the MAT and SMT was also improved with BEC consumption compared with placebo. According to the profile of mood state questionnaire, subjects felt more active and less fatigued during the workload when they took BEC regularly. We conclude that the extract of chicken has the potential to metabolize stress-related substance in blood and to promote recovery from mental fatigue.

For complete research paper: http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ahs/15/6/15_281/_article/-char/en

Aims This study investigated the effects of essence of chicken (EOC) on immunological responses, free radicals and blood glucose concentrations in normal and burn wound rat models. Methods This thesis reports an experimental study on Sprague-Dawley rats with a 3-group time-series design: a sham operated group (UNBURN) (n=72), a bum inflicted group (BURN) (n=72) and a no treatment group (CONTROL) (n=24). Rats in the UNBURN and BURN groups were further subdivided by intake of normal saline (NS), gelatin (GEL) and essence of chicken (EOC) (n=24 each group). Blood samples were taken on days 1, 8, 15 and 22 postbum to measure concentrations of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM), plasma nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and blood glucose. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis and the level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results Results demonstrate significant increases in serum IgG, IgA and 1gM concentrations in both the GEL and EOC subgroups of the BURN and UNBURN groups in comparison to the placebo (NS) group on different postbum days. A significant elevation of IgG was found in the GEL and EOC subgroups of the UNBURN group on days 1 (p=0.026) and 8 (p=0.0l3) respectively. Similar results were observed in the GEL (p=0.001) and EOC (p=0.0l7) subgroups of the BURN group on day 8. There was a significant increase in IgA in the GEL and EOC subgroups for both the BURN and UNBURN groups. In the EOC subgroups, IgA increased significantly on day 15 for the UNBURN group and day 22 for the BURN group (p<0.050 and p=0.029 respectively), whereas in the GEL subgroups, it was found to be higher on day 15 for the UNBURN group and day 22 for the BURN group (p<0.050 and p=0.034 respectively). Conversely, IgA dropped significantly in the GEL subgroup of the BURN group on days 1 and 15 (p=0.038 and p=0.035 respectively). A significant increase in IgM was observed in the EOC subgroups of both the BURN and UNBURN groups and that of the GEL subgroup in the UNBURN group. IgM increased significantly in the EOC subgroup of both the BURN and UNBURN groups, on day 15 (p=0.040) for the BURN group and days 1 and 22 (p=0.010 and p<0.050 respectively) for the UNBURN group, whereas in the GEL subgroup of the UNBURN group it was noted on day 22 only (p=0.025). Blood glucose elevation was only observed in the EOC and GEL subgroups of the BURN group. Significant increases were noted in the EOC on days 1 and 22 (p=0.045 and p=0.0l9 respectively), whereas in the GEL subgroup, the increase was found on day 22 only (p=0.019). Similarly, significant changes in nitric oxide (NO) concentrations were also observed in the EOC and GEL subgroups of the BURN group only. However, there was a significant drop on day 15 for the EOC (p=0.002) and GEL subgroups (p=0.024). Concomitantly, a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation (LPO) was noted in the EOC subgroup of the BURN and UNBURN groups (p=0.006 and p=0.018 respectively), whereas a similar result was only observed in the GEL subgroup of the BURN group (p=0.023) on day 8. Conclusion Results support the contention that EOC enhances serum immunoglobulin concentrations in both normal and bum-inflicted rats. The findings demonstrate that EOC suppressed NO and LPO concentrations in burned rats and that of LPO in normal rats. Therefore, EOC consumption may increase immunological response and prevent free radical-mediated diseases. Further, EOC has shown potential to regulate blood glucose after burn injury by maintaining a stable glucose supply for metabolic needs, which may facilitate wound healing.

For complete research paper: http://repository.lib.polyu.edu.hk/jspui/handle/10397/2196

The nutritional essence of chicken (EOC) sold in domestic currently is rich in active ingredients such as proteins, peptides, a variety of minerals and trace elements. It is mainly used to supplement nutrition and improve health. Recent studies showed that EOC can reduce the levels of cortisol and some other tension materials in blood during fatigue, thus, improve mental fatigue, raise short-term memory capacity and enhance concentration. In addition, EOC can also significantly improve resting energy consumption, promoting metabolism and ameliorating physical and mental fatigue. As a post-natal nutrition, it can nourish the body, restore strength of parturition, promote early lactation and increase the volume of breast milk. The carnosine and anserine which are the nutritional contents in EOC are antioxidants that have many physiological activities. Moreover, as the precursor of transmitter of histaminergic neuron system, carnosine can effectively regulate the level of histamine controlled by centric self-consciousness through histidine metabolic pathway. As EOC can enhance the activity of 5-HT and activate 5-HT-dependent physiological activities, it is good at improving the quality of sleep, elevating mood and regulating circadian rhythm. In an effort to provide useful information for consumers and further researches on EOC, this paper summarizes the recent studies on possible mechanisms underlying the anti-stress and anti-fatigue activities of EOC.

For complete research paper: http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-YAXU200806014.htm

Other studies:

1. ftp://psychology.sju.edu/PsyNet.Stu/STUDENTS/Jason%20T/disgust/Reliability-ANSresponsesinducedbySadness_DisgustInducedbyFilmClips.pdf
2. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jhs/52/3/52_252/_article
3. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jhs/52/1/52_17/_article

and many more in Google Scholar!

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Year 3 Medical book list: Here

Year 4 Medical book list: Here

Now the myth is solved!

Hi, just want to clarify on this bit

Specialty training in the UK has been revamped. And currently there are different strata one has to go through.

Previously, fresh out of medical school one occupies a post as a JHO (junior houseofficer) and eventually moves on to become a SHO, a post one languishes in till you pass your fellowship exams, and recognized as SpR.

Of late this has been revamped. After medical school one starts as a FY1 (foundation Yr 1 doctor), and completes FY2.

Then starts Basic specialty training (BST), which is ST1 and ST2. One passes the MRCS, and other similar exams to complete the BST. Once completed, you will be awarded a certificate of completion of basic specialty training (CCBST). At this stage you are a surgeon in training.

Then things become tricky. One has to compete for a national training number (NTN) which are limited by different deanery and regions in UK to follow up with Higher specialty training (HST) – ST3 – ST6. One attempts the FRCS at ST4 – ST6 on varying subspecialties, completing all being conferred the CCST (certificate of completion of specialty training) and eligible for a consultant post.

In Malaysia currently, general surgical training is offered by UM, UKM, and USM. Training is structured, and candidates are mature on completion. The level on completing the MSurg is much higher than the MRCS (which has decoupled exams and training).
At present, the Malaysian Urology Council is affiliated with the Royal College of Surgeons Glasgow, and the Urology exit candidates are awarded the FRCS (urol) Glasgow. The other subspecialties are yet to be affiliated with the RCS.

 

I would like to share the link here..

3 parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

These articles are written by Dr Pagalavan, Consultant Physician & Rheumatologist,

MBBS(Mal.) MRCP(UK) FRCP(Edin) AM(Mal)

Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya
Johor Bahru
Malaysia

MONDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) — Patients at hospitals performing better than average on a variety of procedures and diagnoses have a lower risk of mortality compared to patients at low-performing hospitals, according to research released Oct. 20 by HealthGrades.

The authors of the annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study analyzed 40 million hospitalization records from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for mortality and complication rates at the nation’s 5,000 nonfederal hospitals. They gave hospitals a one-, three-, or five-star (below average, average, and above average, respectively) rating for 26 procedures and diagnoses, based on their performance compared to that of other hospitals.

The researchers found that patients would have a 72.47 percent lower risk of dying in a five-star hospital compared to a one-star hospital, and a 53.36 percent lower risk of dying in a five-star hospital compared to an average hospital. Hospital mortality rates fell by 7.98 percent from 2007 to 2009.

“We are encouraged by the steady improvement in mortality rates among America’s hospitals, but there’s an unacceptably wide gap that has persisted between the top-performing hospitals and all others in terms of patient outcomes,” Rick May, M.D., vice president of HealthGrades and an author of the study, said in a statement. “For hospital leaders as well as potential patients, it is essential that they understand — and act upon — these findings.”

So how’s SGH mortality rate?

Not sure they are doing research on government or private or both but I think overseas hospital policy is different from Malaysia.. Very eager to see overseas hospital whether is it really that good compared to ours.. lol

I have pondered long time ago on how good is it to join a university to get master program..

Now my HO friend asked me a favour to help him ask about joining UNIMAS..

So i went to ask our orthopaedic surgeon Mr Brian..

He told me:

1. UNIMAS has no own hospital hence not much chance to do practical work..
2. UNIMAS’s lecturers are mostly not practising coz they are from Myanmar and hence the experiences are not there..
3. Joining UNIMAS means u have entered Ministry of Higher Education and when u decided to join back Ministry of Health, u’ll be a contract worker and not permanent worker..
4. The pay in University is lower than in KKM..
5. Oh ya, u confirm can get masters just that u have to bear the above consequences..
6. The only way out is u enter University, then after getting master then quit and join private.. haha

I think this information is useful and could not be found on google.. i tried few times but cant get any (dunno is i noob or no ppl put in internet)

So what say u?

” Razak puts it to Pornthip that Teoh strangled himself. He says that the other four doctors had found no such evidence of strangulation.”
~ I guess only lawyers can conclude someone can strangle himself to death (or render himself unconscious then throw himself out of the window).

“Razak: From Level 14 – 99 feet above ground – he was unconscious, so his body would be heavier.
Pornthip: No difference. Scientifically how could there be weight-loss according to consciousness?”
~ exactly. I guess physics is not part of legal training.

“Razak also asks if she has experience jumping off a building as she has testified that the body was found further from the building than in the usual case of suicide by jumping.”
~ no I don’t think Dr. Pornthip would be in the courtroom today if she had experience jumping off a building

“Razak notes that she is not qualified as a forensic expert in Malaysia as the university from which she graduated is not recognised in Malaysia. Pornthip replies that the university is one of the top five in Asia – some in the public gallery applaud.”
~ Mahidol University is ranked amongst the top 50 Universities in the Asia according to this site – none of the Malaysian Universities are in the top 50.

“Glaringly, the lawyer quizzed Pornthip on why she said Teoh was dead when he fell off Level 14, (where the MACC office is located in Plaza Masalam) but alive when he hit the landing on Level 5.
“I accept that he was alive. I never said that he was dead,” said Pornthip who has offered her services on a pro bono basis.
Visibly amused, the coroner stepped in to clarify that issue was whether Teoh was conscious or otherwise, not if he was dead or alive. This was to no avail as Abdul Razak remained bewildered.”
~ It must be difficult for the brain-dead to distinguish between unconscious and dead.

“Pornthip: I’m questioning whether you are a lawyer.”
~ touché.

And to make your day, here are some other real courtroom lawyer gaffs:

Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

Lawyer: “Now, you have investigated other murders, have you not, where there was a victim?”

Lawyer: “Now, doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, in most cases he just passes quietly away and doesn’t know anything about it until the next morning?”

Lawyer: “And what did he do then?”
Witness: “He came home, and next morning he was dead.”
Lawyer: “So when he woke up the next morning he was dead?”

Lawyer: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
Witness: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Lawyer: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
Witness: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.

Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?
A: It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.

So he was asked to demonstrate as ABG is needed for one patient.
He took the needle, inserted it to patient’s wrist at an obviously wrong site for radial artery, and obtained nothing but some air. (Specialist and MO frowned, thought he was going to withdraw and re-attempt).

Surprisingly, he pulled out the needle like ending a procedure, passing it to the nurse, “Go and analyze this in the ABG machine…”

Specialist stopped him, “What are you going to analyze there? It’s just air!”

And he said, “Ya, you asked me to take arterial blood GAS right? I got it!”

From Dr. Darren

lol, i could not stop laughing.. sorry

Patient:

Dear Dr,

I am a 28 yr old male. I have been under a lot of stress recently, and tend to rub the area under my jaw when stressed. I noticed on both sides three bumps there a while ago, all a little larger on the left. I assume they are lymph nodes and was not worried.

recently, on the left side, whatever I felt there was swollen more and I feel it now when I swallow and sometimes have a slight ache in the general area. I would say one of the structures is around a large pea or bean size. Are there any stuctures other than lymph nodes you can feel on the intersection of jaw/neck under the jaw and can repeated rubbing keep them swollen for a while? The largest one is moved around easily are more fleshy than firm but does not seem as smooth as before.

Under shiwch circumstances should I schedule an appoinment just for this?

Dear Dr,

I have never used this site and I am simply amazed by the speed of your reply!! I fully understand the limitations of the internet.

I just wanted to know if manual irritation can lead to substantial node enlargement and if I could be confusing the bump with another structure in the area.

Doctor:

Hello sammy1,

Thank you for your kind words.

Manual irritation is not one of the causes of lymph node enlargement.

As for your second question: One of the criteria used to diagnose a lymph node enlargement is if a swelling occurs in a lymph node region. This is then easily confirmed by palpation.

Sometimes the situation is not so easy especially when it is present in a region where it can be confused with other structures (e.g. the supraclavicular lymph node – above the collar bone).

In your case there are very few structures in that region to confuse it with, so its more than likely that these are lymph nodes. Again, confirmation by clinical examination is warranted.

Patient:

Dear Dr,

just a follow up: I presented my symptoms (swollen node and slight pain when swallowing in the jaw/neck corner) to the GP.

She did not find any cause of infection and upon examination did not think there was anything unusual, as the bump was soft and mobile and in her assessment some, but not much enlarged.

She also said she is not completely sure it is a lymph node as in the far corner of the jaw there might be other palpable structures.

Even if it stays like this for a little while (without further significant enlargement of course), should I put this behind me?

Also, I did have an doppler ultrasound of that general area 7 month ago and nothing was noticed.

Again, thanks both for for swift replies and professionalism!

Doctor:

Dear sammy1,
I think you can safely put this behind you. As you say, should any new symptoms arise (such as further enlargement, new nodes) simply inform your GP so that s/he knows.
Congratulations!

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