Science desk | ||
---|---|---|
< February 17 | << Jan | February | Mar >> | February 19 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Science Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
While searching on the internet about Hodgkin's lymphoma I found on wikipedia an article saying that one of the risk factors is "Prolonged use of human growth hormone". I kept searching clicking on "human growth hormone" and found maybe a relation between GHB abuse and lymphoma. Why isn´t this mentioned? Am I wrong, has someone studied about this?
When I heard about GHB, 10 years ago, it was said that there were still no known long-term secondary effects of it´s use. But if now it´s getting clearer, please inform people. My friend suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma and he used regularly GHB but he also has Aids. So, where´s the connection? Is the lymphoma related to Aids or the abuse of GHB? Are we blaming AIDS for it forgetting the risks of using GHB? and because both diseases have the fact of being gay (aids & lymphome) or a man (lymphome) as one of the risk factors (although to say this is politically incorrect, I apologise, but it´s true) aren´t we mixing up things and making people believe that GHB has no long term severe secondary effects. Every website I found about GHB doesn´t mention this relation, but it mentions it´s use as rape drug. I know many cases of lymphome and a few of rape. Are we not making patients irresponsible? In the process of living with a cancer and facing it´s treatment it´s important not to blame yourself but at least know that your behaviour can deeply affect your health - a change of behaviour will help to cure. I wish I could say all this to everyone with the same problem in order to motivate a behaviour change to a healthy lifestyle and the strong belief in a cure, especially with withdrawing toxins and cancer agents and bringing in anti-oxidants through food. (we are what we eat/consume). I would much appreciate scientific answer/ explanation about this matter. And if there is a relation between and no one found out, I should get a prize. 217.22.90.231 ( talk) 00:15, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
A side note here: GHB is an extremely important pharmaceutical in the management of narcolepsy and cataplexy. It is very unfair to stigmatize it as a "date rape drug"; this tends to result in onerous regulation that makes it difficult for sufferers to get the medicine they need. -- Trovatore ( talk) 04:47, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
- Thanks for explanations. On the Wikipedia article about GHB says: "Some athletes and bodybuilders also use GHB, as GHB has been shown to elevate human growth hormone in vivo." Doesn´t this mean that GHB stimulates HGH? And if it stimulates HGH it might increase the risk of developing Lymphome especially on predisposed people, for example, patients with AIDS? So besides the relation between AIDS and the Lymphone is it or not possible that consuming GHB, by estimulating HGH, in predisposed individuals increases the riskof Lymphome?
- With regards to the fact (or not) of being used as a date-rape, as far as I know, GHB disappears from the body very quickly so it makes it difficult to be traced after a rape. What I know is that if someone is overdosed with GHB especially if mixed with alcohol gets into a complete unconscious state. GHB is easy to find among the recreational users and because it´s commonly associated with other drugs it might trigger unplanned rapes. Of course there are exceptions and all rapes are condemnable. And All this doesn´t mean that GHB shouldn´t be used to treat certain conditions. My friend that has Lymphome started to smoke cannabis to get rid of the horrible pain that results of the treatment, and it surely works. 217.22.90.231 ( talk) 19:06, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm trying to figure out the ionic strength of a solution used for inducing insect flight muscle contraction. My PI couldn't help me with this, so I'm asking here. In short, my question is am I doing this ionic strength calculation right? The formula for ionic strength is given here. The components of the solution with concentrations are listed below. I included relevant pKas for the weak acids/bases. I can't figure out if pKa matters in this context since pKas are affected by ionic strength.
Below I have separated the above into ions assuming complete dissociation for the salts and that the concentration of dissociated EGTA is negligible.
species | concentration | charge | ionic strength |
---|---|---|---|
Na | 85mM† | +1 | 42.5 *10-3 |
ATP | 15mM | -4 | 120 *10-3 |
Ca | 5mM | +2 | 10 *10-3 |
Cl | 10mM | -1 | 5 *10-3 |
MOPS | 20mM | -1 | 10 *10-3 |
Mg | 15mM | +2 | 30 *10-3 |
OAc | 30mM | -1 | 15 *10-3 |
EGTA | 5mM | 0 | 0 |
N3 | 5mM | -1 | 2.5 *10-3 |
† That 85 mM is from 4*15mM + 20mM +5mM
The sum of all of those is 235 *10-3. Did I do the calculation right? If it helps, I know from experience the pH winds up being between 5.3 and 5.8 (I think 5.6?) and if I replace the 5mM CaCl2 with 10mM NaCl (a sum of 230 *10-3) the pH winds up being between 6 and 6.5 (I think 6.3?). I pH the solutions to 6.8 using sodium hydroxide afterwards, but I'm not going to worry about this yet because I want to make sure that I am doing the ionic strength calculations correctly in the first place. And a bonus question: If I have an enzyme that is in the form of a disodium hydrated salt, is it safe to assume for the purposes of ionic strength calculation that the enzyme will act as a divalent anion when in solution? 152.16.253.109 ( talk) 02:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I have to teach a grade school science class in a few days. If anyone can provide the answer to these questions, thanks. Otherwise it is dustbowl empiricism. I plan to make a Voltaic pile and electrochemical cells. 1)How many grams of salt should be added per kilogram of water to make a saturated solution? 2)If zinc and copper are the electrodes used, would saturated saline solution or 4% acetic acid (vinegar) produce higher voltage and higher current? 3)Would a combination of vinegar and saline produce more voltage\current than either separately? 4)Would dilute sulfuric acid (perhaps one part battery acid to 10 parts water, such as was used in the early 19th century)) produce more voltage/current with zinc and copper electrodes than vinegar and/or saline? Thanks. Edison ( talk) 05:46, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
My doctor told me that bacterial illnesses are mostly caused by more than one kind of bacteria. Is that true?
More generally, what is known about combinations of infecting agents (be it bacteria or others, possibly mixed)? 93.132.168.56 ( talk) 08:15, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Ok, judging by your original question User:Medical geneticist has the answer I believe. It would require too much time, effort, and money to identify the exact bacteria in most cases. When your doc said many different bacteria cause infections he meant it could be any one of a number of possibilities. Just as an example I remember the normal flora and likely causes of infection in the sinuses with the acronym HAPPEN
Of all those Strep. pneumoniea is by far the most likely. We know that it is overwhelmingly (~97% of strains) resistant to Penincillin, so we have to go with an Aminopenicillin like Amoxicillin or even skip that step and go with a Z-pack (very common). However, herein lies the flaw. Over half of people that present with symptoms of a sinus infection have a viral infection (which antibiotics will do nothing about.) Anyway before I get to far off the subject, when you doctor said more than one bacteria cause infection he was referring to situations like the list above (it could be any of them!). Your doctor knows what he is talking about.-- Mrdeath5493 ( talk) 23:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm looking for a Wikipedia article on an early engineer by (what I think is) the name of Al Jazir. I believe he would have been alive in the same time as Archimedes, but that guess is a shot in the dark. I know The Discovery Channel did a few documentaries on the subject. His work was in elaborate timepieces and other scientific devices; perhaps in the vein of the Antikythera mechanism and other such devices. Also possible to been alive in the same time as the peak of Alexandria. Again, I'm almost certain the name was Al Jazir, but having searched all over I must have the spelling incorrect. Any help is much appreciated!
Siouxdax ( talk) 09:58, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
That is exactly what I was looking for! I don't know why I thought he was in the same time as Archimedes. Thanks so much! Siouxdax ( talk) 10:25, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
All I wanted to do was increase my knowledge of the cubit stick, the first unit of length. But what was stated is a bit of a joke. suggest some-one tries watching the TV programme by the BBC (UK).
To even think it was invented by an Egyptian Pharoah would be pushing the realms of commonsense.
The cubit stick was invented by the person in charge of designing a building, and not a pyramid as stated here. The pyramids were built using precise measurements, so how could one have been built before units of measurement were invented?
For a verifiable source try the BBC —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.221.4.199 ( talk) 10:49, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm guessing you have read Cubit and in particular Cubit#History_of_the_different_cubits? If you believe the article to be incorrect i'd suggest discussing it on the relevant talk-page for the article, and cite your sources. 194.221.133.226 ( talk) 11:20, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
The cubit incidentally, as described in our article was a unit of measurement (actually different ones were used by different people) so it clearly can't predate the invention of units of measurements Nil Einne ( talk) 13:28, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
what is an electron made of? Vipinchandranp ( talk) 13:52, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Does Radio Shack sell any weather stations that can hook up to your computer for data upload? If so, what is the cheapest but most reliable. Nick ( talk) 15:27, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I am currently embarking a major project to clean up all the articles relating to 9/11 conspiracy theories. Part of the problem is that 9/11 conspiracy theorists keep trying to insert their conspiracy theories into the articles as if they are legitimate. Another part of the problem is that some good-faith editors don't quite understand what WP:NPOV really means and inadvertently give too much undue weight to fringe theories. I am planning on starting with the main article on 9/11 conspiracy theories. I've already posted my intent on the main article's discussion page, [7]. I will proceed until every article on 9/11 Truth Movement, Loose Change, etc. is in accordance to WP:NPOV. In order to be fair and balanced, what I would like to is this. Are any reliable sources from the scientific community claiming that 9/11 conspiracy theories are true? A Quest For Knowledge ( talk) 15:50, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
One oddity (not necessarily due to a conspiracy: failures in design and operation (diesel fuel stored throughout on occupied floors)or in firefighting could doubtless equal the effects of a diabolical conspiracy) is that 7 World Trade Center, a modern highrise building which was NOT hit directly by an airplane, but set on fire by debris from the collisions, is the only modern high rise to collapse due to a fire. There was a recent case where a high rise in China was completely involved in flames due to fireworks and basically destroyed, yet did not suffer collapse. There is more than one kind of conspiracy. Besides terrorist conspiracies, more often one finds conspiracies to coverup poor decisions. The emergency power needs of tenants in a high rise should be supplied via cables from emergency generators and automatic throwovers to alternate utility feeders, rather than by having fuel storage tanks and fuel pipelines running through occupied floors. Another coverup (no media attention) has been the fact that after the NY Police Department helicopter rescued people from the roof of one of the World Trade Center building after the bomb blast in the 1993, the NY Fire Department asserted that rescue was their sole right, and insisted on automatically and securely locked exit doors from the restaurant to the roof, which could be opened only electrically from the command center in the middle of the building. This center was knocked out by the airplane hit, dooming any hopes of rescue from above. Yeah, I know the investigation said such rescue was impossible. The securely locked doors prevented anyone getting out on the roof to test the abilities of chopper pilots to lower a cable. In 1993 the Emergency Services Unit (police) had the ability to rappel from a twin-engine rescue chopper hovering at 1500 feet and chopping down obstructions so the copter could land. The north tower had a smoke-free area from which some of the trapped people could have been rescued, but for the fire department (which had no helicopters) insisting on rescue only by walking down the destroyed and impassible stairs. Face-saving assertions in investigatory reports also constitute conspiracy. Other post-attack conspiracies might involve denial of the danger from the dust that workers had to breathe. Edison ( talk) 18:05, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Does this count as scientific evidence? [9] - Azi Like a Fox ( talk) 22:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
As I mentioned above, I believe that the articles relating to 9/11 conspiracy theories are giving undue weight to fringe theories. But right now, I am focusing on researching the topic. In the coming days/weeks (depending on the amount of my free time) I will probably raise a NPOV issue with the NPOV Noticeboard. If any rational skeptics (and I am sure that there are plenty on this board) would like to assist me in my efforts, your help would be greatly appreciated. However, before I raise the NPOV issue, I want to do more research so I am prepared to present a thorough case. For now, my initial thoughts can be found on main article's discussion page, [10]. If you'd like to help, feel free to add this page to your watchlist. A Quest For Knowledge ( talk) 03:41, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
Has any there been any research to determine if there might be any connection between Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (cold sores) and glaucoma?
1. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucoma it's clear that "Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma" but is not the exact cause. It's clear because "in some populations only 50% of patients with primary open angle glaucoma actually have elevated ocular pressure.", there is an "inconsistent relationship of glaucomatous optic neuropathy with ocular hypertension", and "another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage".
Read to the bottom of http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp and you find the exact cause of glaucoma is unknown.
2. "Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglion cells". OK, now have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex. "After initial infection, the viruses move to sensory nerves, where they reside as life-long, latent viruses" and "Following a primary infection, the virus enters the nerves at the site of primary infection, migrates to the cell body of the neuron, and becomes latent in the ganglion."
Do the latent viruses damage the ganglion? Do frequent recurrences or outbreaks damage the sensory nerves? Does it only migrate to the primary site of infection or could it migrate to the optical ganglion?
3. There is currently a new drug under development for glaucoma; "Peripherally selective 5-HT2A agonists such as the indazole derivative AL-34662 are currently under development and show significant promise in the treatment of glaucoma." and from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT2A_receptor "5-HT2A also happens to be a necessary receptor for the spread of the human polyoma virus called JC virus."
Is this just coincidence as the author implies by the phrase also happens to be? Is the polyoma virus related to HSV in any way? Both can cause latent infections. Could the 5-HT2A receptor also be a factor in HSV infection?
4. Here's something which really surprised me at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer_disease;
"Scientists discovered a link between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s disease in 1979" and "Recent research supports the previously obscure theory that Herpes simplex virus type 1 plays a role as a possible cause of AD in people carrying the susceptible versions of the apoE gene".
In some people Herpes simplex 1 causes Alzheimer's disease and brain damage!? That's extremely interesting in itself, but back to conjecture; could HSV damage the optic nerve?
Think about it !!!!!!!!
Just kidding, and I don't expect any prizes either. Also I'm asking about the common "Orofacial herpes", not "Ocular herpes ... a special case of facial herpes infection, known as herpes keratitis", although I find it interesting that there is an ocular form of the disease. Feline herpesvirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feline_herpesvirus_1 herpes also has ocular symptoms. Poor Bertie, he was such a handsome cat.
Finally I've read this over several times and can't see any way in which it could be interpreted as a request for medical advice.
Thank you. Stevej000 ( talk) 16:35, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/215/
just follow this and tell me what do you think....? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjaafreh2008 ( talk • contribs) 17:06, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
will ,, its all been said before, but , why dont we take the quraan as an exception , assuming it could be true,without comparing it to other books. first ... assuming its just coincedences , this could be true if you find one or two but it will be more that acoincedence if you find alot more . but first make sure that you do understand it completely . after all ... its your search to do .. some will say its just crap and others will look for the truth ... after all this argument , i think the result will be nothing ,,, theres alot to talk about ... and theres alot of ides . so ... this link will be my last contribution in this subject
http://www.55a.net/firas/english/
thank you for the concern —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjaafreh2008 ( talk • contribs) 14:21, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
Questions which are vague and just say "Look at this web site and tell me what you think" do not seem like legitimate material for the Reference Desk. "Tell me what you think" is not a legitimate question. Such questions should be removed in the future. If the questioner has a question, he should ask the question, and not direct us to click on some web site. Edison ( talk) 04:45, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
suppose we have two capacitors charged accordingly and then the positive terminal of one is joined to the negative terminal of the other & vice versa then there occurs a loss in electrostatic energy,i.e. the initial electrostatic energy that was stored in the two capacitors was more than it is after short circuiting the two. WHERE DOES THE ENERGY GO?? {note:the loss occurs even if we use resistanceless wires}-- scoobydoo ( talk) 17:38, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
>>the whole problem comes from a physics book i found which says that two capacitors 5microF & 6microF were charged across 24V and 12V resp and then connected with reistanceless wires the +ve terminal of first one with the -ve terminal of the second and asks about this loss. I calculated the initial energies as 1.44mJ and 0.432mJ {applying E=1/2cv^2} and the loss comes out to be 1.77mJ upon redistribution of charge.If the attracion is responsible as you say then the work done by these forces will be stored as electrostatic potential energy which should be accounted for by the eqn.Another notable thing is that if the +ve plates are joined together than also there is loss but it is less than the previuos one which also remains unexplained.
So my brother is getting his adenoids ( Pharyngeal tonsil) out and I was doing some research to see what the procedure is, side-effects, etc. when I came across this line near the end of the Adenoidectomy article: "Adenoidectomy is often performed on children aged 1-6, as adenoids help the body's immune system." This makes absolutely no sense to me; if they help the body's immune system, wouldn't it be useful to have them during your childhood years? Also, if anyone has had this procedure done / knows about it and wishes to give me some info, it would be much appreciated. The article is a little sparse. Thanks! - Pete5x5 ( talk) 19:36, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
P.S. Just in case anyone was wondering, I'm not requesting medical advice; my brother has already spoken to the appropriate medical professionals and is getting the procedure done regardless of how much I know about it. ;) - Pete5x5 ( talk) 19:39, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
These are part of Waldeyer's ring. Don't these lymphatic tissues have an important role as part of the immune system in fighting infections? Or are they "just along for the ride" as one doctor once told me? Edison ( talk) 04:53, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
A Klingon bird of war drops out of the Star-trek universe and finds itself in our Einstein universe. Furious to be deprived of all those fictional technologies, they fire all their weapon systems to see which still work. A debate starts as the laser gun doesn't produce the well-known and picturesque streak of light. The captain says the laser could not work in this universe because, the laser beam as all electromagnetic waves has to obey the Maxwell equations. On the other hand the speed of light is limited, so the beam has a "tip" in front of which nature has no chance of knowing that the beam will arrive in an epsilon of a second. Space there has to be absolutely undisturbed by the not yet arrived beam, and this would contradict with any solution of the Maxwell equations.
What's wrong with that argument? What does the tip of the laser beam look like? 93.132.168.56 ( talk) 20:44, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Calomel is a mercury compound which doctors in many countries routinely administered to anyone who was sick or injured in the 18th and 19th century. "Calomel" redirects to Mercury(I) chloride. That article says it was given as a "purgative" until the patient salivated, but [[Purgative} redirects to Laxative. Which end of the patient was the doctor trying to get something from? Benjamin Rush used it in the 1790's to "remove poisons from the body" although the calomel was itself known to be poisonous and ancient medical writers had said as much. Did no one in the medical colleges try a series of patients with and without administration of that poison and bleeding? A surgeon of the 1840's administered calomel and bleeding to patients with severe head wounds, and cites 4 cases of patients recovering from penetrating head trauma, sometimes with brain tissue exposed (he might not be mentioning those who died). Mercury compounds and bleeding along with other likely lethal treatments were given to President Harrison ( [11] Botanico-Medical Recorder, 1841,Vol X, No. 2, page 22). That publication charged (1841, Vol X, No 1., pagepage 23) that calomel and bleeding had likewise killed former President Washington. I find botanical doctors to be the ones criticizing mercury as the standard cureall of the 19th century medical establishment ( [12] Vol X, No. 1, Oct 16, 1841, pages 13-15), along with bleeding. Only around 1910 do books seem to cite data showing calomel was ineffective and detrimental to health. Can we be confident today that the bleeding and calomel were in every instance detrimental to the patients' recovery (Definitely not seeking medical advice)? Edison ( talk) 20:49, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
In History of medicine#Modern medicine the 18th and 19th and even early 20th century doctors get a total pass from any criticism of their fanatical devotion to bloodletting and calomel. The discussion of "modern medicine" just claims that in the 19th century there were all these great advances in chemistry and bacteriology. The section appears to be in serious need of balanced historic coverage of actual medical practice, and the harm likely done to many patients by bloodletting and the administration of heavy metals, in efforts to "remove poisons." Edison ( talk) 22:38, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
One book I found noted that when the "allopath" or "real doctor" from a medical school came in say the 1850's he did venisection (bloodletting) with his lancet first thing, as surely as his present counterpart would listen to the heart and lungs with his stethoscope. This immediately caused the patient to settle down and stop raving and thrashing around, decreased the fever and flushing. Of course it also put them one foot in the grave from loss of blood, but to family members it may have seemed an improvement. If Gramps died after the doctor dosed him and bled him, it was "God's will." Then the calomel and other harsh drugs caused vomiting and bowel movements, which had some face validity as "flushing out the poisons." A downside of calomel was loss of teeth and of pieces of the jawbone. Other "alternative" practitioners likely did no more good with their herbal remedies, but usually did less harm. The typical 19th century doctor's visit with the typical bloodletting, calomel and emetic, apparently caused about as much trauma as present day chemotherapy, with no benefit whatsoever. They likely caused greatly increased morbidity and mortality compared to the control condition of no doctor visit, until doctors understood the germ theory and had treatments for bacterial infections. This does not deny the effectiveness of surgery to suture wounds and set broken bones: patients often benefitted even though the surgeons were unaware of germs. Edison ( talk) 05:06, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
My mom was peeling oranges when she came across this ! Does anyone know why? Beware ofdog 23:09, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Science desk | ||
---|---|---|
< February 17 | << Jan | February | Mar >> | February 19 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Science Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
While searching on the internet about Hodgkin's lymphoma I found on wikipedia an article saying that one of the risk factors is "Prolonged use of human growth hormone". I kept searching clicking on "human growth hormone" and found maybe a relation between GHB abuse and lymphoma. Why isn´t this mentioned? Am I wrong, has someone studied about this?
When I heard about GHB, 10 years ago, it was said that there were still no known long-term secondary effects of it´s use. But if now it´s getting clearer, please inform people. My friend suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma and he used regularly GHB but he also has Aids. So, where´s the connection? Is the lymphoma related to Aids or the abuse of GHB? Are we blaming AIDS for it forgetting the risks of using GHB? and because both diseases have the fact of being gay (aids & lymphome) or a man (lymphome) as one of the risk factors (although to say this is politically incorrect, I apologise, but it´s true) aren´t we mixing up things and making people believe that GHB has no long term severe secondary effects. Every website I found about GHB doesn´t mention this relation, but it mentions it´s use as rape drug. I know many cases of lymphome and a few of rape. Are we not making patients irresponsible? In the process of living with a cancer and facing it´s treatment it´s important not to blame yourself but at least know that your behaviour can deeply affect your health - a change of behaviour will help to cure. I wish I could say all this to everyone with the same problem in order to motivate a behaviour change to a healthy lifestyle and the strong belief in a cure, especially with withdrawing toxins and cancer agents and bringing in anti-oxidants through food. (we are what we eat/consume). I would much appreciate scientific answer/ explanation about this matter. And if there is a relation between and no one found out, I should get a prize. 217.22.90.231 ( talk) 00:15, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
A side note here: GHB is an extremely important pharmaceutical in the management of narcolepsy and cataplexy. It is very unfair to stigmatize it as a "date rape drug"; this tends to result in onerous regulation that makes it difficult for sufferers to get the medicine they need. -- Trovatore ( talk) 04:47, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
- Thanks for explanations. On the Wikipedia article about GHB says: "Some athletes and bodybuilders also use GHB, as GHB has been shown to elevate human growth hormone in vivo." Doesn´t this mean that GHB stimulates HGH? And if it stimulates HGH it might increase the risk of developing Lymphome especially on predisposed people, for example, patients with AIDS? So besides the relation between AIDS and the Lymphone is it or not possible that consuming GHB, by estimulating HGH, in predisposed individuals increases the riskof Lymphome?
- With regards to the fact (or not) of being used as a date-rape, as far as I know, GHB disappears from the body very quickly so it makes it difficult to be traced after a rape. What I know is that if someone is overdosed with GHB especially if mixed with alcohol gets into a complete unconscious state. GHB is easy to find among the recreational users and because it´s commonly associated with other drugs it might trigger unplanned rapes. Of course there are exceptions and all rapes are condemnable. And All this doesn´t mean that GHB shouldn´t be used to treat certain conditions. My friend that has Lymphome started to smoke cannabis to get rid of the horrible pain that results of the treatment, and it surely works. 217.22.90.231 ( talk) 19:06, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm trying to figure out the ionic strength of a solution used for inducing insect flight muscle contraction. My PI couldn't help me with this, so I'm asking here. In short, my question is am I doing this ionic strength calculation right? The formula for ionic strength is given here. The components of the solution with concentrations are listed below. I included relevant pKas for the weak acids/bases. I can't figure out if pKa matters in this context since pKas are affected by ionic strength.
Below I have separated the above into ions assuming complete dissociation for the salts and that the concentration of dissociated EGTA is negligible.
species | concentration | charge | ionic strength |
---|---|---|---|
Na | 85mM† | +1 | 42.5 *10-3 |
ATP | 15mM | -4 | 120 *10-3 |
Ca | 5mM | +2 | 10 *10-3 |
Cl | 10mM | -1 | 5 *10-3 |
MOPS | 20mM | -1 | 10 *10-3 |
Mg | 15mM | +2 | 30 *10-3 |
OAc | 30mM | -1 | 15 *10-3 |
EGTA | 5mM | 0 | 0 |
N3 | 5mM | -1 | 2.5 *10-3 |
† That 85 mM is from 4*15mM + 20mM +5mM
The sum of all of those is 235 *10-3. Did I do the calculation right? If it helps, I know from experience the pH winds up being between 5.3 and 5.8 (I think 5.6?) and if I replace the 5mM CaCl2 with 10mM NaCl (a sum of 230 *10-3) the pH winds up being between 6 and 6.5 (I think 6.3?). I pH the solutions to 6.8 using sodium hydroxide afterwards, but I'm not going to worry about this yet because I want to make sure that I am doing the ionic strength calculations correctly in the first place. And a bonus question: If I have an enzyme that is in the form of a disodium hydrated salt, is it safe to assume for the purposes of ionic strength calculation that the enzyme will act as a divalent anion when in solution? 152.16.253.109 ( talk) 02:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I have to teach a grade school science class in a few days. If anyone can provide the answer to these questions, thanks. Otherwise it is dustbowl empiricism. I plan to make a Voltaic pile and electrochemical cells. 1)How many grams of salt should be added per kilogram of water to make a saturated solution? 2)If zinc and copper are the electrodes used, would saturated saline solution or 4% acetic acid (vinegar) produce higher voltage and higher current? 3)Would a combination of vinegar and saline produce more voltage\current than either separately? 4)Would dilute sulfuric acid (perhaps one part battery acid to 10 parts water, such as was used in the early 19th century)) produce more voltage/current with zinc and copper electrodes than vinegar and/or saline? Thanks. Edison ( talk) 05:46, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
My doctor told me that bacterial illnesses are mostly caused by more than one kind of bacteria. Is that true?
More generally, what is known about combinations of infecting agents (be it bacteria or others, possibly mixed)? 93.132.168.56 ( talk) 08:15, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Ok, judging by your original question User:Medical geneticist has the answer I believe. It would require too much time, effort, and money to identify the exact bacteria in most cases. When your doc said many different bacteria cause infections he meant it could be any one of a number of possibilities. Just as an example I remember the normal flora and likely causes of infection in the sinuses with the acronym HAPPEN
Of all those Strep. pneumoniea is by far the most likely. We know that it is overwhelmingly (~97% of strains) resistant to Penincillin, so we have to go with an Aminopenicillin like Amoxicillin or even skip that step and go with a Z-pack (very common). However, herein lies the flaw. Over half of people that present with symptoms of a sinus infection have a viral infection (which antibiotics will do nothing about.) Anyway before I get to far off the subject, when you doctor said more than one bacteria cause infection he was referring to situations like the list above (it could be any of them!). Your doctor knows what he is talking about.-- Mrdeath5493 ( talk) 23:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm looking for a Wikipedia article on an early engineer by (what I think is) the name of Al Jazir. I believe he would have been alive in the same time as Archimedes, but that guess is a shot in the dark. I know The Discovery Channel did a few documentaries on the subject. His work was in elaborate timepieces and other scientific devices; perhaps in the vein of the Antikythera mechanism and other such devices. Also possible to been alive in the same time as the peak of Alexandria. Again, I'm almost certain the name was Al Jazir, but having searched all over I must have the spelling incorrect. Any help is much appreciated!
Siouxdax ( talk) 09:58, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
That is exactly what I was looking for! I don't know why I thought he was in the same time as Archimedes. Thanks so much! Siouxdax ( talk) 10:25, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
All I wanted to do was increase my knowledge of the cubit stick, the first unit of length. But what was stated is a bit of a joke. suggest some-one tries watching the TV programme by the BBC (UK).
To even think it was invented by an Egyptian Pharoah would be pushing the realms of commonsense.
The cubit stick was invented by the person in charge of designing a building, and not a pyramid as stated here. The pyramids were built using precise measurements, so how could one have been built before units of measurement were invented?
For a verifiable source try the BBC —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.221.4.199 ( talk) 10:49, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I'm guessing you have read Cubit and in particular Cubit#History_of_the_different_cubits? If you believe the article to be incorrect i'd suggest discussing it on the relevant talk-page for the article, and cite your sources. 194.221.133.226 ( talk) 11:20, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
The cubit incidentally, as described in our article was a unit of measurement (actually different ones were used by different people) so it clearly can't predate the invention of units of measurements Nil Einne ( talk) 13:28, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
what is an electron made of? Vipinchandranp ( talk) 13:52, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Does Radio Shack sell any weather stations that can hook up to your computer for data upload? If so, what is the cheapest but most reliable. Nick ( talk) 15:27, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
I am currently embarking a major project to clean up all the articles relating to 9/11 conspiracy theories. Part of the problem is that 9/11 conspiracy theorists keep trying to insert their conspiracy theories into the articles as if they are legitimate. Another part of the problem is that some good-faith editors don't quite understand what WP:NPOV really means and inadvertently give too much undue weight to fringe theories. I am planning on starting with the main article on 9/11 conspiracy theories. I've already posted my intent on the main article's discussion page, [7]. I will proceed until every article on 9/11 Truth Movement, Loose Change, etc. is in accordance to WP:NPOV. In order to be fair and balanced, what I would like to is this. Are any reliable sources from the scientific community claiming that 9/11 conspiracy theories are true? A Quest For Knowledge ( talk) 15:50, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
One oddity (not necessarily due to a conspiracy: failures in design and operation (diesel fuel stored throughout on occupied floors)or in firefighting could doubtless equal the effects of a diabolical conspiracy) is that 7 World Trade Center, a modern highrise building which was NOT hit directly by an airplane, but set on fire by debris from the collisions, is the only modern high rise to collapse due to a fire. There was a recent case where a high rise in China was completely involved in flames due to fireworks and basically destroyed, yet did not suffer collapse. There is more than one kind of conspiracy. Besides terrorist conspiracies, more often one finds conspiracies to coverup poor decisions. The emergency power needs of tenants in a high rise should be supplied via cables from emergency generators and automatic throwovers to alternate utility feeders, rather than by having fuel storage tanks and fuel pipelines running through occupied floors. Another coverup (no media attention) has been the fact that after the NY Police Department helicopter rescued people from the roof of one of the World Trade Center building after the bomb blast in the 1993, the NY Fire Department asserted that rescue was their sole right, and insisted on automatically and securely locked exit doors from the restaurant to the roof, which could be opened only electrically from the command center in the middle of the building. This center was knocked out by the airplane hit, dooming any hopes of rescue from above. Yeah, I know the investigation said such rescue was impossible. The securely locked doors prevented anyone getting out on the roof to test the abilities of chopper pilots to lower a cable. In 1993 the Emergency Services Unit (police) had the ability to rappel from a twin-engine rescue chopper hovering at 1500 feet and chopping down obstructions so the copter could land. The north tower had a smoke-free area from which some of the trapped people could have been rescued, but for the fire department (which had no helicopters) insisting on rescue only by walking down the destroyed and impassible stairs. Face-saving assertions in investigatory reports also constitute conspiracy. Other post-attack conspiracies might involve denial of the danger from the dust that workers had to breathe. Edison ( talk) 18:05, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Does this count as scientific evidence? [9] - Azi Like a Fox ( talk) 22:42, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
As I mentioned above, I believe that the articles relating to 9/11 conspiracy theories are giving undue weight to fringe theories. But right now, I am focusing on researching the topic. In the coming days/weeks (depending on the amount of my free time) I will probably raise a NPOV issue with the NPOV Noticeboard. If any rational skeptics (and I am sure that there are plenty on this board) would like to assist me in my efforts, your help would be greatly appreciated. However, before I raise the NPOV issue, I want to do more research so I am prepared to present a thorough case. For now, my initial thoughts can be found on main article's discussion page, [10]. If you'd like to help, feel free to add this page to your watchlist. A Quest For Knowledge ( talk) 03:41, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
Has any there been any research to determine if there might be any connection between Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (cold sores) and glaucoma?
1. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucoma it's clear that "Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma" but is not the exact cause. It's clear because "in some populations only 50% of patients with primary open angle glaucoma actually have elevated ocular pressure.", there is an "inconsistent relationship of glaucomatous optic neuropathy with ocular hypertension", and "another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage".
Read to the bottom of http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp and you find the exact cause of glaucoma is unknown.
2. "Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglion cells". OK, now have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex. "After initial infection, the viruses move to sensory nerves, where they reside as life-long, latent viruses" and "Following a primary infection, the virus enters the nerves at the site of primary infection, migrates to the cell body of the neuron, and becomes latent in the ganglion."
Do the latent viruses damage the ganglion? Do frequent recurrences or outbreaks damage the sensory nerves? Does it only migrate to the primary site of infection or could it migrate to the optical ganglion?
3. There is currently a new drug under development for glaucoma; "Peripherally selective 5-HT2A agonists such as the indazole derivative AL-34662 are currently under development and show significant promise in the treatment of glaucoma." and from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT2A_receptor "5-HT2A also happens to be a necessary receptor for the spread of the human polyoma virus called JC virus."
Is this just coincidence as the author implies by the phrase also happens to be? Is the polyoma virus related to HSV in any way? Both can cause latent infections. Could the 5-HT2A receptor also be a factor in HSV infection?
4. Here's something which really surprised me at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer_disease;
"Scientists discovered a link between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s disease in 1979" and "Recent research supports the previously obscure theory that Herpes simplex virus type 1 plays a role as a possible cause of AD in people carrying the susceptible versions of the apoE gene".
In some people Herpes simplex 1 causes Alzheimer's disease and brain damage!? That's extremely interesting in itself, but back to conjecture; could HSV damage the optic nerve?
Think about it !!!!!!!!
Just kidding, and I don't expect any prizes either. Also I'm asking about the common "Orofacial herpes", not "Ocular herpes ... a special case of facial herpes infection, known as herpes keratitis", although I find it interesting that there is an ocular form of the disease. Feline herpesvirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feline_herpesvirus_1 herpes also has ocular symptoms. Poor Bertie, he was such a handsome cat.
Finally I've read this over several times and can't see any way in which it could be interpreted as a request for medical advice.
Thank you. Stevej000 ( talk) 16:35, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/215/
just follow this and tell me what do you think....? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjaafreh2008 ( talk • contribs) 17:06, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
will ,, its all been said before, but , why dont we take the quraan as an exception , assuming it could be true,without comparing it to other books. first ... assuming its just coincedences , this could be true if you find one or two but it will be more that acoincedence if you find alot more . but first make sure that you do understand it completely . after all ... its your search to do .. some will say its just crap and others will look for the truth ... after all this argument , i think the result will be nothing ,,, theres alot to talk about ... and theres alot of ides . so ... this link will be my last contribution in this subject
http://www.55a.net/firas/english/
thank you for the concern —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjaafreh2008 ( talk • contribs) 14:21, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
Questions which are vague and just say "Look at this web site and tell me what you think" do not seem like legitimate material for the Reference Desk. "Tell me what you think" is not a legitimate question. Such questions should be removed in the future. If the questioner has a question, he should ask the question, and not direct us to click on some web site. Edison ( talk) 04:45, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
suppose we have two capacitors charged accordingly and then the positive terminal of one is joined to the negative terminal of the other & vice versa then there occurs a loss in electrostatic energy,i.e. the initial electrostatic energy that was stored in the two capacitors was more than it is after short circuiting the two. WHERE DOES THE ENERGY GO?? {note:the loss occurs even if we use resistanceless wires}-- scoobydoo ( talk) 17:38, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
>>the whole problem comes from a physics book i found which says that two capacitors 5microF & 6microF were charged across 24V and 12V resp and then connected with reistanceless wires the +ve terminal of first one with the -ve terminal of the second and asks about this loss. I calculated the initial energies as 1.44mJ and 0.432mJ {applying E=1/2cv^2} and the loss comes out to be 1.77mJ upon redistribution of charge.If the attracion is responsible as you say then the work done by these forces will be stored as electrostatic potential energy which should be accounted for by the eqn.Another notable thing is that if the +ve plates are joined together than also there is loss but it is less than the previuos one which also remains unexplained.
So my brother is getting his adenoids ( Pharyngeal tonsil) out and I was doing some research to see what the procedure is, side-effects, etc. when I came across this line near the end of the Adenoidectomy article: "Adenoidectomy is often performed on children aged 1-6, as adenoids help the body's immune system." This makes absolutely no sense to me; if they help the body's immune system, wouldn't it be useful to have them during your childhood years? Also, if anyone has had this procedure done / knows about it and wishes to give me some info, it would be much appreciated. The article is a little sparse. Thanks! - Pete5x5 ( talk) 19:36, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
P.S. Just in case anyone was wondering, I'm not requesting medical advice; my brother has already spoken to the appropriate medical professionals and is getting the procedure done regardless of how much I know about it. ;) - Pete5x5 ( talk) 19:39, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
These are part of Waldeyer's ring. Don't these lymphatic tissues have an important role as part of the immune system in fighting infections? Or are they "just along for the ride" as one doctor once told me? Edison ( talk) 04:53, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
A Klingon bird of war drops out of the Star-trek universe and finds itself in our Einstein universe. Furious to be deprived of all those fictional technologies, they fire all their weapon systems to see which still work. A debate starts as the laser gun doesn't produce the well-known and picturesque streak of light. The captain says the laser could not work in this universe because, the laser beam as all electromagnetic waves has to obey the Maxwell equations. On the other hand the speed of light is limited, so the beam has a "tip" in front of which nature has no chance of knowing that the beam will arrive in an epsilon of a second. Space there has to be absolutely undisturbed by the not yet arrived beam, and this would contradict with any solution of the Maxwell equations.
What's wrong with that argument? What does the tip of the laser beam look like? 93.132.168.56 ( talk) 20:44, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
Calomel is a mercury compound which doctors in many countries routinely administered to anyone who was sick or injured in the 18th and 19th century. "Calomel" redirects to Mercury(I) chloride. That article says it was given as a "purgative" until the patient salivated, but [[Purgative} redirects to Laxative. Which end of the patient was the doctor trying to get something from? Benjamin Rush used it in the 1790's to "remove poisons from the body" although the calomel was itself known to be poisonous and ancient medical writers had said as much. Did no one in the medical colleges try a series of patients with and without administration of that poison and bleeding? A surgeon of the 1840's administered calomel and bleeding to patients with severe head wounds, and cites 4 cases of patients recovering from penetrating head trauma, sometimes with brain tissue exposed (he might not be mentioning those who died). Mercury compounds and bleeding along with other likely lethal treatments were given to President Harrison ( [11] Botanico-Medical Recorder, 1841,Vol X, No. 2, page 22). That publication charged (1841, Vol X, No 1., pagepage 23) that calomel and bleeding had likewise killed former President Washington. I find botanical doctors to be the ones criticizing mercury as the standard cureall of the 19th century medical establishment ( [12] Vol X, No. 1, Oct 16, 1841, pages 13-15), along with bleeding. Only around 1910 do books seem to cite data showing calomel was ineffective and detrimental to health. Can we be confident today that the bleeding and calomel were in every instance detrimental to the patients' recovery (Definitely not seeking medical advice)? Edison ( talk) 20:49, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
In History of medicine#Modern medicine the 18th and 19th and even early 20th century doctors get a total pass from any criticism of their fanatical devotion to bloodletting and calomel. The discussion of "modern medicine" just claims that in the 19th century there were all these great advances in chemistry and bacteriology. The section appears to be in serious need of balanced historic coverage of actual medical practice, and the harm likely done to many patients by bloodletting and the administration of heavy metals, in efforts to "remove poisons." Edison ( talk) 22:38, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
One book I found noted that when the "allopath" or "real doctor" from a medical school came in say the 1850's he did venisection (bloodletting) with his lancet first thing, as surely as his present counterpart would listen to the heart and lungs with his stethoscope. This immediately caused the patient to settle down and stop raving and thrashing around, decreased the fever and flushing. Of course it also put them one foot in the grave from loss of blood, but to family members it may have seemed an improvement. If Gramps died after the doctor dosed him and bled him, it was "God's will." Then the calomel and other harsh drugs caused vomiting and bowel movements, which had some face validity as "flushing out the poisons." A downside of calomel was loss of teeth and of pieces of the jawbone. Other "alternative" practitioners likely did no more good with their herbal remedies, but usually did less harm. The typical 19th century doctor's visit with the typical bloodletting, calomel and emetic, apparently caused about as much trauma as present day chemotherapy, with no benefit whatsoever. They likely caused greatly increased morbidity and mortality compared to the control condition of no doctor visit, until doctors understood the germ theory and had treatments for bacterial infections. This does not deny the effectiveness of surgery to suture wounds and set broken bones: patients often benefitted even though the surgeons were unaware of germs. Edison ( talk) 05:06, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
My mom was peeling oranges when she came across this ! Does anyone know why? Beware ofdog 23:09, 18 February 2009 (UTC)